Not Another SI Fic: Part 1
by Enigmatic Magus
Summary: Not your Typical SI Fic. Nabiki Tendo, Makoto Kino, and Demoness First Class Mara find themselves on a starving author's doorstep one morning. COMPLETE
1. 1

Disclaimer:   
Ranma 1/2 is Owned by Rumiko Takahashi.   
Sailor Moon is owend by Naoko Takeuchi.   
Ah! Megami-Sama! is Owned by Kosuke Fujishima.  
  
Not Another SI Fic!  
By; Taiteki Kagato  
  
  
[knock knock]  
  
"... the hell?" I asked, glancing at the clock. Indeed, it was as I'd thought, an annoyingly early   
four-thirty in the morning, and someone was knocking on my door. I blinked, then sighed,   
reaching for my discarded pants.  
  
{knock knock}  
  
"Yeah yeah, keep your pants on." I said to the door, muttering after words, "while I pull on mine."  
  
Finally getting the old kung-fu pants I'd kept from my failed attempt to reintroduce myself to   
martial arts, I reached under my futon, grabbed my (extremely dull) sword, went to the door and   
opened it, blocking the sword with the door, so as not to initially startle my early visitor.  
  
I blinked. Once. Twice.  
  
"Oy." the woman in the doorway said.  
  
"... the hell?" I asked again. The sword fell away as I continued to stare, and I finally realized my   
guest was saying something to me. I shook my head then grinned sheepishly at the person in the   
doorway.  
  
"What?" I asked, somewhat nervously.  
  
"..." The woman, a really beautiful woman at that, frowned and closed her mouth. Then she   
closed her eyes, muttered something in Japanese, and then looked at me again.   
  
"Hey." She said, in typical American English.   
  
"Umm... Yeah, sure. Can I help you?" I asked, unsure of what was happening, but not willing to   
question it... yet.   
  
"Well..." she started, frowning again, "I'm not sure. Can I come in?"   
  
"I guess." I replied, glad to have cleaned up earlier in hopes of getting a visitor. That Kate had   
never arrived was a disappointment, but at least my cleaning wasn't for nothing.  
  
"How… cute." She said, staring at my Christmas tree. I just closed the door behind her, then   
motioned to my couch-futon for her to sit down. She did, and I sat in my nice, soft executive-style   
leather chair, swiveling it to face her.  
  
"So... thanks, by the way. About the tree, I mean. Umm.. what can I do for you miss...?"  
  
"Mara. Just Mara, if you would." She said, smiling smugly. Suddenly, I recognized her.  
  
"Mara.. Demoness Mara?" I asked, frowning at her. Her eyes widened in shock then, and I   
quirked a brow at her, surprised by her rather extreme reaction.  
  
She looked like Mara, too. Blonde puffy hair, a slightly evil-ish grin, dark clothing one would have   
trouble finding anywhere, and extremely piercing brown eyes. I wasn't quite sure how to respond,   
so I just stared at her. Finally, I broke the silence.  
  
"Nice costume. What can I do for you?"  
  
"It's not a costume. You just proved you know who I am, stupid. Don't act dumb now." I blinked at   
that, frowning a little.  
  
"Look.. it's four-thirty in the morning. What can I do for you? It's a little early for me to go out   
cosplaying, and I don't have much in the way of costumes, as-is. Hell, I don't even look like   
anyone, really. So..." I said, trailing off with a shrug.  
  
"Cosplay?" She asked, when I was done.  
  
"... Yes. You. Mara. Anime. 'Ah! My Goddess.'" I frowned at her look of confusion. Scooting over,   
I grabbed my 'Mara Strikes Back' Manga off my lower bookshelf, and the first Ah! My Goddess   
DVD and tossed them to her. She picked up the Manga, and stared, intently, suddenly ignoring   
the apartment around her.  
  
I watched, worried, as she grew pale. What the hell was going on? Here I was, four-thirty-five in   
the morning, watching an obvious Mara-cosplayer acting like she was seeing Mara, or Ah! My   
Goddess for the first time ever.   
  
Finally, she turned to me, and asked, (in an eerily empty-voice) "Where the Hell am I?"  
  
"My Apartment. Denver, Colorado. A little east of the rocky mountains. Who are you again?" I   
asked, hoping to get her real name. The glare she gave me, and the odd illumination shining in   
her eyes (a rather worrisome red) was enough to shut me up. Finally, I decided to ask what the   
rational part of my brain kept telling me wasn't possible.  
  
"Are.. are you really Mara?" I asked, a bit of wonder creeping into my voice.  
  
"Yes, dummy. I said that already. But.. Where? What the hell are these? What's going on? Did   
you summon me, or something?" All these she asked rapidly, looking more and more worried.  
  
"I-" I was cut off by another knock at the door. Looking at my clock, I blinked again. "Nani, yo?" I   
muttered to myself, expending quite a bit of my Japanese vocabulary in that one breath. Opening   
the door stood another girl, dressed in...  
  
"Umm.. Kino Makoto? Or Lita Something-or-other?" I asked, dreading either answer, but   
expecting to be right with one or the other.  
  
The girl in question blinked. "H-hai." She said, before speaking more Japanese I had no hope of   
comprehending. I turned to Mara, and quirked a brow. "Did you catch that?" I asked,   
remembering what she'd said when she'd arrived.   
  
".. Yeah. She asked how you knew who she was, and where she was. I thought you could speak   
Japanese." She said, staring at me questioningly.  
  
"Hai. Iie. Ja ne. Domo Arigato. Nani yo? Nani desu ka? That's about it. Little bits more here and   
there, when I can remember them. It is rather late, you know."  
  
A small cough reminded me that there was a Sailor Senshi in my doorway, albeit untransformed   
at the moment. I turned back to her, then shrugged, stepping out of her way, and motioning for   
her to come in. Her slight frown turned into a look of suspicious confusion, before she stepped in.   
I looked around, and grinned sheepishly, wondering if maybe I had gone overboard with my wall   
scrolls.   
  
She sat beside Mara after a second, and turned to me, speaking again, slowly.  
  
"You speak no Japanese?" she asked with a heavy accent.  
  
"Ahh.. No. Um.. iie" I said, frowning as I threw the last bit in. Then I smiled a bit. "Furinkin koko wa   
doko da!" I said, imitating Ryouga. They both stared at me, and my sheepish grin wilted.   
  
"Umm," I started, remembering that 'ano' can mean the same thing, "... Mara? Could you   
translate for me?"  
  
"I could. But it would be easier if I just cast a spell to teach you Japanese, instead."  
  
"... You can do that?!" I asked her, a look of shock on my face. Makoto glared at me, and Mara   
was staring at her humorously.  
  
".. Of course. I am a Demoness First Class, remember? If it's convenient for me, I can probably   
do it."  
  
"Oh.. could you teach her English, instead?" I asked, not quite willingly. "As cool as it would be to   
be able to understand my anime collection the way it was meant to be, It'd be easier for her if she   
could understand us both. Besides, if she's stuck here, then she'll need to be able to talk to other   
people besides you and me."  
  
Mara frowned a little (no doubt annoyed I'd come up with a more logical solution, or something   
demonically weird like that), then turned to Makoto. Then I remembered.   
  
"Ah! Umm.. first, tell her what you're about to do, and that your power may feel dark, but it's not..   
or something like that. Because if she thinks you're attacking her, I do not want to be on the   
receiving end of a Jupiter Oak Revolution or whatever attack-of-the-season she's currently got."  
  
Makoto stared at me, a look of suspicion masking the shock I could see in her eyes. Mara   
frowned, shrugged, and turned to Makoto, talking to her for a moment. After a little dialogue that I   
tried valiantly to follow (but failed miserably), Mara turned back to me.  
  
"She said she'd go through with it, only if you did first." I shrugged, then frowned, "Okay.. teach   
me Japanese. And nothing but Japanese, okay?" I said, watching her.   
  
"Look, I just want to know where the hell I am, I can't even feel much of a Nifelheim, or the push   
of Asgard right now, and the sooner she can understand, the sooner you can tell us what's going   
on."  
  
With that, she pointed at me, and a red beam of light (magic I assumed) shot out of her fingertip,   
and hit my forehead. I saw Makoto pull a weird pin shaped object out of midair, but when she   
didn't do any more than that, I sighed, wondering if I should feel anything else. Finally, the   
lightshow stopped, and I looked at Mara again.  
  
"That's it?" I asked.  
  
"Yep. Easy, eh?" she said, grinning a little.  
  
"I guess so. If it even worked." I said, frowning at her. She just grinned a little more. Then I   
realized something. "Say that again?" I asked. She repeated herself, and I suddenly realized she   
had spoken in Japanese. I'd responded in English, but had understood it without flaw. "Whoa."  
  
Mara grinned, and Makoto turned to her.  
  
"Well, I suppose, if it worked enough that he understands Japanese, you can do it to me. Your   
power feels evil, though. Why?" She asked. I just stifled my grin, and sat back, waiting. Mara   
shrugged, and pointed at Makoto.   
  
After the light show finished, I looked at Makoto, and asked her how she felt.  
  
"No different." Was her reply. I grinned. Mara turned to her with a quirked brow, but said nothing.  
  
"I.. hey! I understood you! And you were speaking English!" she said in Japanese. Then she   
frowned for a second, before saying in perfect (if American English can be considered perfect)   
English: "I am speaking in English, now." then she laughed.  
  
"Heh. Won't Minako be jealous when you get back?" I asked, testing the water.  
  
"You bet she wi... how do you know so much about me?" She said, turning towards me. Then she   
gasped. "What the hell..." She asked, walking over to the bookshelf. I turned, following her gaze,   
and spotted what caught her eye. My little Sailor Moon figurines I'd gotten back in Jacksonville.   
  
"Oh. Those. Great, aren't they? Too bad my ex stole my Mercury." I said with a frown. I also said   
that in Japanese, to see how well I could do it. According to what I suddenly knew, and the   
reactions I got, I did fine.  
  
"Where... where am I? Nobody sold these things at any of the stores I've been to." Makoto said.  
  
"We were just discussing th-"  
  
[knock knock}  
  
I groaned. Mara stared at the door angrily, and Makoto was still staring at the figurines. Thankfully   
(I suppose) she hadn't spotted the DVDs one shelf down.  
  
I moved towards the door, unsure who to expect this time, and pulled it open. There stood...  
  
"Nabiki Tendo?" Well well. Isn't this a nice surprise. Hey, you two," I called to them in English,   
"Don't act dumb, don't get smart with her, and for the love of god, if you have money on you, don't   
let her know about it."   
  
Nabiki stared at me, Mara glared at me, and Makoto just nodded as she pulled her figure's   
ponytail off.  
  
"Money?" Nabiki asked, accented, but understandable. The interest in her voice, however, was   
very obvious.  
  
Oh yeah. Nabiki was a bit more on top of things than the others. It wasn't surprising she could   
understand more English than Makoto had. "Mara? Could you..." I asked, motioning to the figure   
in the doorway.  
  
Mara nodded, and, after Nabiki entered, she hit her with the English-ray. I caught, however, the   
brief look of surprise as she spotted my Ranma wall scroll. After the light subsided, I turned to   
her, and grinned.   
  
"A little lost, Nabiki?"  
  
"And you are?" She asked, frowning. Her frown suddenly grew as she repeated herself in   
English. Then she looked at me, then Mara.   
  
"Wha.. This is interesting." She asked, a bit of wonder in her eye. I thought I also caught a   
glimpse of greed, as well, but knowing exactly who she was might have skewed my perception of   
her a little.   
  
"I taught you English so nobody would have to explain everything he," Mara said, motioning   
towards me, "Is about to tell us, to you."  
  
"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but couldn't he have 'explained everything' in Japanese. He   
certainly knew how to ask if I was lost well enough."  
  
I sighed, then shrugged. "Makoto.. want to join us for our 'where are we' discussion?"  
  
Makoto whirled, then blushed. "Sorry.. yes. Umm..." She said, looking around. I signed, then   
pushed my chair to her, walking to the closet. A moment later, I emerged with a folding chair, and   
set it down so that it faced the couch. Makoto, in my chair, Nabiki sitting aside my pillow, and   
Mara sprawled out (upright, somehow, both Nabiki and Mara on the Couch-ified futon) looked at   
me.   
  
"Well.. I suppose introductions are in order." I started. "Since I know who and what you all are, I'll   
make this short, so we can get to the bottom of this fast."  
  
Looking at Makoto and Mara, I pointed at Nabiki first. "Nabiki Tendo, Middle Tendo daughter,   
Over Akane, Under Kasumi Assumed/Eventual sister of Ranma Saotome, Daughter of Soun   
Tendo and his departed wife. She's very, very smart, very good at extracting information and   
wont hesitate to make a buck at your loss." Nabiki was grinning and nodding (the grin turned into   
a full smile when I complimented her intelligence) before crashing into an indignant frown and   
shout at my finish.  
  
"You seem to know me pretty well, Kyle." I stared at her in shock, then thought about it. My name   
was all over the place, you just had to look for it to find it. Still, that was pretty good. I decided to   
exercise a bit more caution around her than I'd already decided to.  
  
The others were looking at her a little nervously then, so I pointed at Makoto next, shrugging off   
Nabiki's comment.  
  
"Makoto Kino. A parentless high school student who's been expelled from various schools for   
fighting," I glared at Nabiki, who'd snorted in amusement," She's an excellent cook, a good friend   
to have watching your back, and seems to think every other guy looks like her old boyfriend. Oh   
yeah. She's also Sailor Jupiter, and, judging from her reaction earlier, the Sailor Galaxia arc has   
been completed, though how long ago that was, I'm unsure."  
  
Makoto, like Nabiki, had expressed a lot during my speech, from a frown at the 'parentless'   
remark, to a pleased grin at my compliments, and finally a shocked look at the revelation of her   
secret identity. I shrugged before she could deny it or ask how I knew, and pointed at Mara.  
  
"Mara... umm.. Mara. A fickle individual currently assigned.. I think, to destroying the relationship   
budding between the Goddess Belldandy and Keiichi Morisato. ... that's about all I know. Oh!   
She's also a Demoness First Class. Don't piss her off. At least, not here, please. And no, Nabiki,"   
I said, responding to the look she gave me when I called Belldandy a 'Goddess.' "I meant that   
literally. I'm not deluded, like a certain Kendoist you and I are thinking of."  
  
Nabiki closed her mouth, and sighed. I pointed to myself, and cringed, thinking about how dull my   
own introduction would seem, now.  
  
"Kyle's my name. 20 years old. I write Anime-based fanfiction, know a little bit about electronics..   
and just about any other subject on the planet, and serve food to Denver's demented population   
in..." I looked at the clock, "five hours. So! If you all could excuse me, I'm going to go to sleep,   
now. Please don't wake me up.... Nabiki? Mara, could you move? Thanks."  
  
I pulled my futon into it's bed-shape, and pulled back the covers, before looking at the others. The   
stared back at me, frowning.  
  
"... what?" I asked.  
  
"Typical male." Nabiki said, sighing. I just glared for a moment, before sighing. "Fine. Fine. I'll   
sleep on the floor. You all can fight over the bed."  
  
"I don't need to sleep, really..." Mara said.   
  
"Great!" I said, turning my back to her as I went to dig for a blanket.   
  
"... and neither do you." She amended.  
  
"Eh? Um. Yes. I'm tired. It's late. And I... oh. Heh. Guess we're not through talking yet, eh?"  
  
My nervous 'heh' and follow up sentence just sort of came out, when I turned around to look at   
her. Mara was holding up a fist that was glowing with more reddish energy, though I doubt I'd be   
learning anything other than pain if that light touched me. Makoto and Nabiki were both glaring at   
me, as well, arms crossed. I sighed. Work was going to suck tommorow.  
  
******************  
  
"So you're saying my entire life was just for entertainment?" Makoto said, angrily.   
  
"Well... you've brought hope to a lot of people... probably." I said, not wishing to anger the   
obviously upset Senshi of Jupiter (untransformed). I'd just explained how I knew so much   
(deferring to a couple of my favorite Sailor Moon episodes when words weren't enough) about her   
life.  
  
"Oh. That's real comforting. My parents are dead to add a little suspense to my life's story. My old   
boyfriend was nothing more than comic relief. I can't even remember his name, and now, I find it's   
just to give me a more mysterious past. If I was sure it wouldn't have bad repercussions for my   
friends, I'd blast this 'Naoko Takeuchi' into the next world..." She stared down at the Sailor Moon   
Manga I'd handed her. "... And what the hell's this LITA crap? It's Makoto. Ma-Ko-To." She   
slumped in my chair, and I looked at Mara or Nabiki for help. Not getting much more than a pair of   
amused stares, I sighed.  
  
"Umm.. Makoto.. would you like some food? I've got some Ramen I could throw on..." I asked,   
hoping to take her mind off all the information she'd just recieved. Moving over to my small   
Kitchenette, I pulled out the Ramen and started fixing it.   
  
"Nabiki? Could you look through that spool of CDs on the bottom shelf of my desk? There should   
be a burned CD labeled 'Ranma 1.' You're up." I said, pouring the steaming ramen into a large   
bowl. Setting it on front of Makoto, I grinned sheepishly as she looked at it suspiciously.  
  
"Umm.. something wrong?" I asked, watching Nabiki sort through the CDs.   
  
"... This isn't like any Ramen I've ever seen. Where are the vegetables? And... are you sure this is   
Ramen?" she finished, aparently unwilling to ask all the questions about it she'd like to.  
  
"Heh." I nervously chuckled, before staring at the floor. My carpet can be really interesting. "It's   
instant Ramen. I'm really cheap when it comes to buying food." Yep. That spot of carpet was   
really amazing.  
  
".. fine. Where are the chopsticks?" She asked, looking around.   
  
"Umm.. you know how to use a fork and spoon, right?" I asked, sheepishly, handing her the   
utensils. She looked at them, then shrugged, taking them and testing the Ramen. "It's not too   
bad." She said, quietly, before slowly working on the bowl. A couple bites later, she looked at me,   
and smiled a little. "Thanks, Kyle." I just grinned and nodded, before loading the first Ranma   
episode.  
  
"Do ALL these shows have annoyingly sappy theme songs?" Mara asked from the couch. She   
was currently engrossed with my Game Boy, though, from what I could hear, all she was doing   
was running mario off a cliff. I grinned, and asked Nabiki to let me use the computer for a second.   
She scooted, and I loaded Winamp, and the Ah! Megami-sama! Theme. Mara stopped playing,   
then glared at me as the singing started. I just grinned, paused the song, and started Ranma   
back up.  
  
The episode was pretty good, though when Nabiki (onscreen) started groping Ranma-chan   
("Does this look like a boy to you, daddy?") Makoto started gagging on her ramen. Finally, when it   
ended, Nabiki turned to Makoto, then me, and nodded.  
  
"Alright, Kyle. I believe you. And I agree with Kino-san." she said, in Japanese. " Rumiko   
Takahashi wrote my mother's death for suspenseful reasons, yet I don't see any reference to it at   
all."   
  
"Well... hmm.. you know, that subjects never really covered, as far as I can tell. Granted, the most   
I've ever seen is up to the Gambling King.. everything else I know is fannon, or second hand info,   
so... " I shrugged, not bothering to continue.   
  
"Mara?" I said, turning to the video-gaming Demoness. She looked at me, then shrugged.  
  
"Why bother? I know my history. Besides, considering what I've seen, so far, we're all secondary   
characters. I don't really feel like watching Belldandy and Keiichi act all lovey-dovey."   
  
"Okay." I said, shrugging. "Can I go to sleep now? I've-" I was cut off by the buzzing of my alarm   
clock. "-got no time." I deadpanned, pressing the off button. "Excuse me." I said, standing and   
wearily collecting my work uniform. Once everything I needed was in hand, I went into the   
bathroom, and started running the shower. 15 minutes later I emerged, cleaner, and still tired.  
  
"Today is going to suck." I said to myself. Nabiki smirked, Makoto looked asleep on her feet, and   
Mara had her nose inches from the screen of the Game Boy.   
  
"Ja ne, then. I'll be back around three. Try not to make a mess, please." I said, walking out the   
door. As it was closing, Nabiki caught it, and stared at me for a second.   
  
"Yes?" I asked her.   
  
"Can I.. can I come with you?" She looked a little nervous, but curious, too. I thought about it,   
then shrugged. "I suppose so. Nobody should really say anything, though you need to be   
unobtrusive at first, since I start an hour before we open." She nodded, and followed me to my   
car. She glanced quizically at my front liscense plate, then shrugged, getting in.   
  
A few minutes later, I arrived at Applebees, Nabiki trying her best to hid her fear at my wreckless   
driving style, though doing so unsuccessfully. I smirked at her, carrying my apron as I walked to   
the door. "America. Live fast, die young." I said. She just shrugged, looking around. Thinking   
about what she was seeing, I shrugged back at her, explaining.   
  
"Lots more cars her than in Tokyo. So we have to have big parking lots." She looked at me with a   
small smile, before entering Applebees.   
  
*******************  
After explaining to Ed, the Manager, that Nabiki was a friend from Japan, and wanted to watch   
me work, he reluctantly allowed her to sit at the bar as we opened up. A couple co-workers asked   
her a few questions, and she answered them politely, but quickly, leading them to assume she   
was just a little nervous. Finishing my side work, I asked her if she wanted anything to eat, and   
then realized she wouldn't know much of what we have to offer. Showing her a Menu, she quickly   
selected the Blackened Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, and I punched it in, feeling her scrutinous   
gaze on me as I did so.   
  
Sitting with the others at table fifty a couple minutes later, we started our pre-shift meeting, before   
filing off to wait for customers to arrive. I walked over to Nabiki, and leaned on the bar beside her   
as she ate her pasta.   
  
"So... this is my work place. pretty fun, eh?" I asked, rhetorically.  
  
She looked around, then down at her food, twirling a few noodles on her fork. "It's not bad, I   
suppose. Where are all the people?" She asked, staring at the doors as she chewed her food   
thoughtfully.   
  
"Mornings here are always slow. It'll pick up by noon." I yawned, wishing I could just go home and   
sleep. She nodded, watching as an elderly couple walked in the door. A few minutes later, one of   
the Regulars walked in and sat at the bar nearby, ordering his regular drink. I moved to greet a   
table I'd just gotten, and then went to get their drinks.   
  
After getting that, and their food orders in the computer, I went back to Nabiki, who was now deep   
in conversation with the Regular. He finally grabbed his bag of food to do and left, glancing my   
way once, before walking through the door.   
  
Lunch continued on, the crowd growing to peak around two (late, compared to most days) before   
tapering off. After being cut, Nabiki watched with interest as I bargained my way out of rolling   
silverware, and using a couple underhanded tricks to finish things off in a quick (if not orthodox)   
way. Finally, I took off my apron, and threw my card inside it.   
  
"Alright, Nabiki. Ready to go?" I asked, walking towards the door.  
  
"You did good there," she said, staring at me.  
  
"What?" I asked, switching to Japanese.  
  
"The bargaining. You played him," she pointed to the server who was supposed to check my   
silverware, "off against him," She said, nodding towards one of my friends, "to get yourself a   
lower price."  
  
"Huh? Oh." I nodded. "Everybody has a price. The trick is making them agree to yours." I opened   
the door for her, and she smiled at me again, as she walked out with me right behind her.  
  
The drive back was short an uneventful, and Nabiki took that time to play around with the money   
I'd earned over the course of the day. I yawned as I opened my apartment door, leaving it open   
so Nabiki could follow me in. I stopped, however, when I realized how messy my apartment was.  
  
Makoto was sleeping away on my futon, and Mara was sitting at my computer, laughing   
maniacally as she chased a scientist around in Half-Life with a crowbar. I groaned, and went to   
the Fridge, stopping to stare again, as I realized all my Liquor was gone.  
  
"... Mara?" I asked, growing angrier as I spotted the bottles sitting out on the counter. "Did you   
drink all my Liquor?" I asked through clenched teeth. The TripleSec hadn't been finished, though   
it was lower than I had left it. Everything else though...  
  
"Makoto couldn't sleep, so I told her to try a little drink. She started gagging on that 151 stuff, so I   
told her I'd spilt the rum with her, instead. A couple shots later, and she crawled into bed. I wasn't   
quite at my limit, though, so I finished off the rum, and then the vodka. That 151 stuff is still in   
your fridge, though. I like strong liquor, but that wasn't much more than lighter fluid. Even if it is   
some special Bacardi blend, or whatever." She didn't stop playing, and she hadn't noticed how   
red I'd gotten.  
  
All my Liquor gone except for a bottle of Bacardi 151, and TripleSec. Great. I was hoping to have   
used it for a party, but I guess Mara didn't feel that way. Sighing heavily, I looked at my occupied   
bed longingly, especially my pillow, before making a bed on the floor with the blankets and sheets   
I had stored in the closet.   
  
"Goodnight." I said emotionlessly as I pulled the blanket over my head.  
  
****************  
  
[Poke poke]  
Someone was poking me in the back with something. I blearily pulled an eyelid open, and rolled   
to glare at my antagonist. Makoto, kneeling over me, with a pen in her hand, stared down at me.   
  
"Huh?" I asked, realizing she'd said something.  
  
"Clean your bathroom. And then we need to go get some food. Then, we need to talk about   
getting us back home."  
  
"..." I blinked at her, wondering what kind of damage I'd receive if I rolled back over, then I sat up,   
sighing.   
  
"Okay. Give me a second." I said, walking into the bathroom. Five minutes later, I emerged, an   
annoyed look on my face, and a trash bag full of soaked toilet paper in my hand. Makoto entered   
after I'd exited, closing the door behind her, and I walked outside, to the dumpster, to get rid of   
the garbage in my hand. Then I went into my apartment, and grabbed my wallet, counting the   
money I had.   
  
Nabiki watched me, having paused the movie (Aliens) She'd been watching, as I did so. Makoto   
came up beside me, and watched me count the money for a second, before looking at the door.   
"Lets go, then. I'm hungry, and I'm not sure how long this is going to take."  
  
I nodded, resigned, as I pocketed my wallet and grabbed my keys. Then I looked down.   
  
"Hold on a second, Mako-chan." I muttered, walking into the closet. a couple minutes later I   
emerged, dressed in my black silk outfit, looking much better than my work uniform.   
  
".. Nice." Nabiki said, nodding. I just shrugged, as I walked out the door, Makoto following me.   
Behind me, I heard the movie start back up, and wondered if I should get Nabiki some popcorn.  
  
The drive to Super Wall-Mart was longer than the drive to work, but Makoto seemed to not mind   
the sudden bursts of speed, the (seemingly) random stops, and quick, crazy lane changes.   
Getting out of my car in the parking lot, she grinned at me.   
  
"You should talk to Haruka. She'd probably love the way you took that corner." She then looked   
out, towards the setting sun, as if remembering the other Senshi wistfully. We walked into Wal-  
Mart silently, Makoto looking around in surprise.  
  
"Don't you have department stores in Japan?" I asked her, curious.  
  
"Yeah, but they're usually a bit more... conservative. This is almost gaudy." She responded,   
looking suspiciously at a stand covered in ugly generic feminine razors.   
  
"Oh.. yeah. A cart. Hold on a second." I said, running back towards the door. I returned with the   
cart, and started walking with it, Makoto following.   
  
"You should grab what you need, or what you think the others will need, and throw them in. Try,   
though, to find the cheapest of items if you can. I don't have that much money, and I really don't   
want to ask my parents to help pay the rent again."  
  
15 minutes later, we'd stocked up on quite a few feminine hygiene products, as well as some   
cleaning supplies I'd been substituting wet paper-towels for. The Food Aisles were ahead, and   
Makoto was staring at them in anticipation.  
  
"Excited?" I asked her, a bit of humor in my voice.  
  
"These.. I've never seen stuff like this before. Well, this I have. but This? And this!" I looked at   
what she'd grabbed, and cringed. Frozen Eggplant Parmesan.   
  
"Yeah... great. Umm.. We should probably stick to basic ingredients. They're cheaper that way,   
and you can make things you know by heart. I've always wanted to try some of your cooking."  
  
She perked up at this, and I reached out to snag a can of pizza sauce in passing. After loading   
the cart with rice, vegetables, a few spices, and a couple chunks of meat, we made our way to   
the checkout line. I grabbed a couple suckers off the candy area, remembering something about   
Nabiki liking them, though I had no clue what flavor she'd like. I'd also grabbed a 6-pack of   
Budweiser for Mara, and let Makoto grab herself a cheap scarf she'd seen in the clothing section   
as we made our way around the store.   
  
Passing through the checkout like, I sighed in relief as I pocketed the change. I'd worried we   
might be over, but I could make up what I'd spent in a couple days. Makoto wrapped the scarf   
around her neck with a grin, and we walked out the door, the cold Colorado air biting through my   
thin shirt. I signed, wishing I'd remember to wear a coat, then shrugged, knowing that the leather   
jacket I'd loaned Makoto was at least keeping her warm.  
  
Throwing the items in the trunk, we made our way back to my apartment, and I sighed as I   
walked up to the door, wondering what kind of mess Mara'd left for me to clean up this time.   
  
I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find Mara asleep on the futon, and Nabiki on the   
computer, watching Sailor Moon DVDs. Makoto set the groceries down on the counter, then   
turned to watch Sailor Moon talk with Sailor Saturn moments before she leapt into Pharaoh 90. I   
sighed as I put the groceries away, wondering what Makoto planned on cooking for us all.   
Finishing, I threw the bags in the pantry for later use, then went to the bathroom. Emerging, I   
watched Nabiki close down the DVD player, and walk over to Makoto.  
  
"Have fun at the store?" Nabiki asked, looking at the scarf.   
  
Makoto shrugged, turning to the computer. "What other movies do you have?" she asked me. I   
shrugged, and pointed to my small DVD rack, when an Idea hit me.  
  
"Hmm.. Makoto? How about you cook food, and when it's all ready, we'll all watch a movie   
together. Sound fun?" She shrugged, and walked into the kitchen to start working on dinner, and I   
turned to Nabiki.   
  
"Can you get Mara up? I'll need to get everything set up if we're going to do that." She looked   
over at Mara, then nodded, a slight grin on her face. She turned to the computer, and looked   
around my hard drive for a moment, before shrugging, and grabbing one of the Ah! My Goddess   
DVDs. Scrolling through the first episode, she came to a point I recognized as a corny-sounding   
scene with Belldandy and Keiichi repeatedly saying each other's name. Turning the Volume up,   
she hit play, and Mara awoke with a groan, and a glare. Nabiki giggled, and Makoto just smiled a   
little, as I sat there, watching the three interact.  
  
************************* 


	2. 2

Disclaimer:   
Ranma 1/2 is Owned by Rumiko Takahashi.   
Sailor Moon is owend by Naoko Takeuchi.   
Ah! Megami-Sama! is Owned by Kosuke Fujishima.  
  
Not Another SI Fic!  
By; Taiteki Kagato  
  
After acquiring a small meal (I'd managed to produce enough money to order a   
couple pizzas from Dominos) we debated what movie we'd be watching, and in the end,   
it boiled down to Mara, wanting to watch Resident Evil, While Nabiki and Makoto   
wanted to watch Ghostbusters. I looked at my clock, Decided we had enough time for   
both, if they could handle it, and popped in Ghostbusters.   
  
Nabiki and Makoto seemed interested enough, Makoto sometimes commenting   
about the technology displayed, and how Ami'd love to get her hands on it, and Mara   
laughing at the possessed Dana, while Nabiki just watched with rapt fascination as the   
Ghostbusters monopolized an industry nobody else could enter. I just drank Coke and   
watched a movie I hadn't seen in a couple weeks.  
  
When the movie was over, I switched out the DVDs, and we watched Resident   
Evil. The girls jumped a couple times (I'd seen it too many times to be surprised,   
unfortunately) and Mara seemed a bit disappointed when it ended and she realized there   
was no spiritual "evil" in the movie whatsoever.   
  
I turned to Nabiki with a smirk, and asked her, "So! You were interested in the   
ever-growing field of bioresearch, right? Want to name your corporation 'Umbrella'   
when you start up?"   
The glare I got, and the somewhat sick look on her face shut me up, and I tossed the   
empty Pizza boxes away. It was pretty late, but I wasn't tired yet, so I decided it was time   
to have our 'going home' talk.   
  
"So," I started, unsure where, actually, to start, "You all are kinda.. stuck here, at the   
moment. Mara-"  
"Already thought of that. Not a trace."  
"... What was he going to ask?" Makoto questioned, frowning at Mara."  
"Probably if there's any link between us and our home universes." Nabiki replied.  
I just nodded. "Yeah. Okay, then. Do you all remember what you were doing right before   
you arrived?"  
"I was sleeping, actually. Then I found myself in front of your door, and my hand was   
raised up like I was about to knock." Mara said, holding her hand up in demonstration, "I   
thought I was still dreaming till we started talking and you showed me that Book."   
  
"Ahh... okay. That's... weird." I turned to Makoto, quirking a brow.  
  
"I was on my way to Rei's Temple for a Senshi meeting... when..." she trailed off, and I   
stared at her. She frowned, and then reached into the bag she'd taken to store the stuff   
she'd arrived in, and pulled out a watch.   
  
"I didn't even think to try this!" She cried, flipping it open. I moved over to look in it,   
but she pulled it away.   
"If it does work, the others might wonder why you're staring over my shoulder," she   
explained, pushing a couple buttons.   
  
The sound of static emanated from the things hidden speaker, and she frowned, before up in   
thought momentarily, muttering.   
  
"How was it Ami said I could boost the power?"   
  
she looked at it again, then pressed a few more buttons, a small   
beep punctuating each button press, and suddenly it started to glow green.   
"Ahh... that feels weird." Makoto said. The Communicator appeared absorb a   
greenish light that gently flowed off Makoto for a moment, before shooting a white light   
up a foot or so that abruptly disappeared into thin air. The static faded, the sound   
changing into the whine of a radio with bad reception, and then silence. Makoto's eyes  
widened.  
  
"Moon?"  
  
"Mako-chan? Mako-chan! Where are you! We waited and waited and you never showed   
up and then Ami couldn't find you and so we went out looking and-"  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Usagi. I'm okay, but kind of stuck. Do you think Ami can figure   
out where I am now that we're connected?"  
  
There was a pause, and I wondered if the connection broke, but suddenly a new voice,   
softer, spoke up.  
  
"You know, we tried calling you when you failed to arrive, Makoto. I suppose wherever   
you are, you can call out, but we can't reach you."  
  
She looked down, guiltily. "I didn't even think of using the communicator until just now.   
I had to boost the power like you showed us."  
  
"Ah. I'm glad you thought of that. The Computer's just about done extrapolating and   
compiling."  
  
"It's been a weird couple of days, here. I hope you can find a way to bring me home."   
Makoto looked up at me, before smiling. "Not that it's been terrible here, or anything." I   
just nodded, thinking about Makoto, and the rest of the Senshi.   
  
"Okay. The Mercury Computer says... Oh my!"  
  
Nabiki snorted at this, and Mara frowned, while Makoto looked worried.   
  
"Oh my, What, Ami-chan?" Makoto asked, when Ami didn't say anything else.  
  
"Uhh... this... can't be right..." her sentence interposed with rapid electronic sounds as   
she typed more into her computer, rapidly.  
  
"What's it saying, Ami?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Well... it says... it's saying..." Ami seemed hesitant to say anymore, but someone   
reading over her shoulder seemed more than willing to tell the world.  
  
"WHAT DOES THAT THING MEAN, SHE'S DEAD?!?" A new voice shouted.  
  
"WHAT?" I shouted.  
"NANI?" Makoto screamed.  
"DEAD?" Nabiki asked, loudly.  
"... We're not dead, that's for sure. I'm no Angel, but I know this isn't Asgard, and it's   
too damn clean... most of the time, to be Nifelheim."  
  
"... Who's with you, Mako-chan?" a rather worried sounding Usagi asked over the   
communicator.  
  
"Nabiki, Mara, and Kyle." She said, offhandedly.  
  
"One of them is... not good." Ami said, a little more quietly. Makoto just chuckled.   
"Mara. Yeah. She's a Demoness, first class. Apparently a second-string character from a   
Manga called 'Ah! My Goddess!' She's being well behaved for now, though, because at   
the moment... she.. ahh.. Why aren't you acting demonic, Mara?" Makoto asked, staring   
at Mara with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
Mara frowned at everyone staring at her, and shrugged. "Why should I tell you all?"  
  
"You don't have any power here, do you?" Nabiki asked, grinning slightly.  
  
Mara scowled, and floated off the ground, an aura of flames surrounding her. "No Power   
have I?" She asked, floating towards Nabiki.  
  
"Don't!" I shouted. Too late. The smoke detector went off, then, surprising everyone but   
me (Who expected it) and causing Mara to drop to the floor, her Flaming Aura   
disappearing in her surprise. A moment later, the beeping stopped, and I glared at her.  
  
"Fire and inside equals bad." I said, emphasizing the word 'bad.' Mara just scowled,   
crossed her arms, and picked up my Game Boy. I sighed, and looked at Makoto, who was   
staring at Mara uneasily. Finally, she realized someone was talking to her, no, shouting at   
her from her communicator, and she looked down to see a worried Ami onscreen.  
  
"The Mercury Computer picked up a burst of Evil Energy. Is everything okay there?"   
Ami asked.   
  
Makoto blinked, then nodded, slowly. I decided that, like it or not, Makoto needed help.   
Sitting beside Makoto, I turned the Communicator to look at he, and Ami gasped, before   
frowning.  
  
"Who're you?" She asked, suspiciously.   
  
"I'm Kyle. I own the apartment Makoto is staying in while she's here. Do you know how   
to get her back there?" I asked, jumping to the point quickly.  
  
"Oh.. you... did you Kidnap her?" Ami asked, with a frown.  
  
"... Not that she's bad or anything, but I can't afford to live on my own, much less with   
three other people living off me. Kidnapping someone right now is not the wisest of   
moves. No, she appeared at my door, and I let her in, because it was cold out, and she   
looked familiar."  
  
"She looked familiar?" Ami asked, suspiciously. Usagi's face appeared behind Ami's,   
and she stared at me curiously. I decided to have a little fun.  
  
"She looked just like my old girlfriend!" I said, trying for the starry-eyed look Makoto   
got whenever she said that about her old Sempai.   
  
"HA!" Nabiki said, recognizing the paraphrased line. Mara chuckled, and Makoto   
blushed before shoving me out of the way. I climbed back onto the couch, and then   
peered over her shoulder, much like Usagi was doing with Ami.  
  
"Can you retrieve your fellow Senshi, Sailor Mercury?" I asked, seriously.   
  
"Who?" Ami asked, looking surprised.  
  
"He knows, Ami-chan. Don't worry, he's known for a long time. And there's no danger   
in that." Makoto said, Ami nodded, then looked at me.  
  
"Right now? No. The Mercury Computer will have to figure out a way to break whatever   
Barriers lie between us to get her home. I hope you can handle her for a few more days,   
Kyle-San."  
  
"Ehhh... Just Kyle, please." I asked, frowning slightly.  
  
"Oh. Kyle, then. Just be glad it's Makoto, and not Usagi." Ami said with a small smile.  
  
"Ami-chan!" Usagi said, falling away from the screen. I nodded, then walked away.  
  
Nabiki, sitting at my computer, seemed interested in my web browser, and I moved over   
to see what she was looking at.  
  
"This... never happened." She said, pointing. I looked closely, then laughed.  
  
"Thank god, eh?" This is a fan-fiction. Where people continue a story in ways that don't   
happen according to what the original creator intended." Nabiki stared at the screen, then   
backed out of the fic.  
  
"That was... disturbing." She said, shuddering.  
  
"Yes, well... a rape scene isn't the best way to be introduced to Fan-fiction.. Especially if   
it turns out to be your own." I said, hoping Nabiki didn't think I'd written it.  
  
"Did you-" She started, staring at the screen.  
  
"No!" I interrupted her.  
  
"Oh. Any particular reason someone would write that?" she asked, seemingly curious,   
and not at all the superior-acting Nabiki I'd gotten used to.  
  
"Umm. Some people just don't like you. And then, there are some that don't like your   
sister. Or Ranma. Or Principal Kuno." I shrugged. "Some people think Ranma should   
hook up with Kodachi, and forget everyone else. Personally, I think the most deserving   
Fiancée is Ukyo," I shrugged, "That's my opinion, though. People are just weird like that,   
I suppose."  
  
"..." She stared at me, and I sighed, reaching out to take the mouse. I navigated the web   
quickly, finally coming to a search engine I could use to find the Fic I wanted.   
  
"Here. This is the first real Fan-Fic I ever read." I said, clicking on the link. Zen's "The   
Bitter End" popped up onscreen, and I went to get a Coke from the fridge. It was going to   
be another weird night, and another weird day.  
  
I awoke to two things. Actually, it was because someone was kicking me, though I could   
tell they were trying to be gentile about it. They were failing, too. The other thing was my   
back. I'm not used to sleeping on something quite as hard as the floor, so it wasn't much   
of a surprise to hear my spine audibly pop itself back in to place. Probably along every   
vertebra I had. Makoto, who'd been kicking me widened her eyes in surprise, then   
frowned again at me.  
  
"... what's up?" I asked, staring up at her.  
  
"Mara's gone." That woke me up. Typically, I'm a light sleeper, so the sound of my door   
opening (and the subsequent slam which is a requirement for closing the door) would   
have awakened me, if the chill from outside hadn't first.  
  
I glanced around, confirming her statement, before turning to her. "How'd she leave? Did   
she leave a note?" Part of me was hoping she'd gone back home, and a bigger part of me   
was afraid she'd gone out on the town. Denver's not all that, but it has it's spots.   
  
Makoto just shrugged, but waited. I was afraid to ask what she was going to add.  
  
"Umm.. is there something else you want to tell me?"  
  
"Your car is gone, too."  
  
"..." My head hit the pillow again. "Right, then. I'll wake up in a few minutes, and this   
will all be resolved." I hoped to awaken to an empty apartment, with a bunch of empty   
Coke cans, and Pizza Boxes signaling this was just a bizarre acid-reflux dream.   
  
The resumed kicking broke that delusion rather quickly. I rolled over and grabbed the   
foot, surprising Makoto. Then I stood, and checked my apartment. Watch? Check. Keys   
Gone. Wallet.... Moved. I sighed, and reached for it, hoping it had been moved by the   
keys, and not... No such luck. I was broke again. Well, so much for making the power   
bill on time.   
  
"What are you doing that for?" Makoto asked as I began crawling around on the floor. A   
minute later I stood, a handful of pennies (and the occasional nickel) held out to her.  
  
"Your rations." I said, dryly. Makoto stared at me, then looked at the coins.   
  
"Umm... Keep it." She said, finally, pushing the hand away. "Maybe if we pool our..."   
Makoto started, before trailing off.  
  
"Yeah. Well. We will have resources. Tomorrow, you apply at work with me. Maybe the   
addition of a cute girl can bring in enough to help keep us afloat."  
  
"..."Makoto blinked, and I assumed my 'cute girl' comment was to blame. Fortunately,   
She asked the question I'd hope shed respond with.   
  
"Why isn't Nabiki working, too?" There wasn't much malice behind it, but She did seem   
confused.  
  
"As good as Nabiki is at talking people out of their money, She's even better at balancing   
the books... and with my backlog of bills, my disastrous need for random objects, and   
inability to look at budget foods, She's going to be handling the money."  
  
Opening one of the larger books on my bookshelf, I slid out a Twenty, sighing.   
  
"We'll live off this until we get back from work." I glanced at the clock, and sighed,   
reaching over to stop the alarm from going off in 20 minutes. I thought about it for a   
moment, and sighed again.  
  
Makoto'd gotten a couple items of clothing, as had Nabiki, but now, I'd have to get her   
some black shoes and socks. A tough thing made tougher by the twenty-dollar price limit.  
I glanced over at Nabiki sprawled out on the futon, and suppressed a chuckle. As serious   
as she was awake, seeing her sprawled out on my bed, snoring softly killed that image,   
rather quickly. The shimmer of drool also detracted from her seriousness.   
  
... Drool? On my down Pillow? My eyelid twitched slightly (A habit Id' started doing   
consciously because it was kinda funny but I had ended up doing so much, it now   
happened on it's own) and I moved towards the bed, only to be tripped by Makoto.  
  
Falling, I had a moment to figure out how to land not only to keep from smacking the   
metal bars, but also from crushing Nabiki. Of course, it was inevitable I'd wake her, but   
hopefully, I wouldn't break her as well. If I intended to trust my money to her, it'd be   
best not to have her first purchase be a cast.   
  
I landed with my hands on both sides of her, and realized my mistake as they sank   
between the bars of the futon, the thin mattress going with them. The unfortunate effect   
of this was that Nabiki's head shot up, amplified by Nabiki jerking awake at that   
moment. The following crack of our foreheads smacking each other was enough to make   
me see stars, and my shaking arms gave out. Fortunately, I'd slowed enough to only   
slightly crush Nabiki, and in her dazed state, she didn't complain much after an initial   
groan.   
  
Summoning the strength to roll off my guest, I yelped softly as I also rolled off the Futon,   
and onto my TV remote. Too lightheaded to move it out from under me, I just signed, and   
waited for the strobe light to power down.   
  
"What just happened?" Nabiki asked a minute later. She sounded tired (not surprisingly)   
and angry (also unsurprisingly) and I took a deep breath before answering her.  
  
"I... um... tripped?"  
  
Makoto chose this time to start giggling softly, and I resisted the urge to glare at her,   
mostly because I'd probably end up crossing my eyes at her. Rubbing my head, I felt a   
sore spot, and a bump starting to form above my eyebrow. How keen.  
  
"Is this how you treat all the girls? Morning kisses gone awry, and insincere   
explanations?" Nabiki asked.  
  
"I..." I didn't really know how to respond to that. Makoto quirked a brow at me, and I   
felt my face reddening. "I.. it's.. I wasn't trying to kiss you!" I finally said.  
  
"Oh." Nabiki responded, sounding rather sad. I cringed, not wanting that, either.  
  
"No! I mean. I wasn't. but that doesn't.. Umm.. I mean. You're really pretty, but I don't   
know you.. for real.. well enough.. or something." I finished lamely. Glancing at Makoto,   
I hoped to see a look of amused relief, but instead, she looked almost hurt, and I groaned   
inside again. 'Not her, too!' I thought.  
  
"Oh.. Makoto.. I mean.. you're both really pretty. I.. ahh... " I trailed off, then, my head   
trying to balance the two, and overloading, a rather strong headache also starting to make   
itself known. Then I heard Nabiki chuckling.   
  
Sitting up, I tried to glare at her, before falling back in pain. Slowly sitting back up again,   
I looked at where she lay on her side, head propped up, as she stared at me with a Nabiki-  
esque grin on her face.  
  
"Just about as bad as Ranma." She said with a grin. She reached up and rubbed a red spot   
on her forehead, then, frowning slightly.   
  
"Sorry." I muttered, unhappy with having caused it, even though it wasn't my fault. I   
turned to look at Makoto, who finally seemed to look apologetic, and sighed.   
  
Then I crawled to the kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of Painkillers and a can of Coke.  
  
Much later (or so it felt) I walked into Applebee's on Tamarac, panting heavily. Makoto   
and I had raced across the parking lot, and though it was close, she'd beaten me. I cursed   
my lethargic lifestyle once again, and waited for the blood to stop pounding in my ears   
long enough to hear what she was trying to tell me.  
  
"-running."   
  
"What?" I squeezed out.  
  
"When we get time, you and I are going to start running. You are really out of shape."  
  
I frowned at her, but said nothing, leaning against the door. As she passed, I threw her a   
rather cocky grin, and said "I kept up with you pretty well, didn't I?"   
  
She looked at me, and I stopped panting, acting like I was fine. She frowned, and waited,   
and finally, broke down, and leaned back against the wall, trying to get the air I'd just   
tried to pretend I didn't need. She snorted disdainfully, and walked inside. I sighed, and   
followed.   
  
"Hey, Kyle. Can I talk to you for a moment?" my manager asked from the Kitchen. I   
knew I wasn't late, but he'd looked serious about something behind the obvious smile of   
his, and I made my way back, a soft smile hiding my worry.  
  
"I know she's new to the area, and all, but your friend can't stay here while you work   
every day." He said, matter-of-factly. I nodded, looking over my shoulder at Makoto,   
who looked around curiously.  
  
"Actually... Well.. She's not just my friend.." he just waited for me to finish, so I started,   
hoping this seemed believable enough. "She came here after loosing all her family in a   
plane crash in Japan a couple years ago. We'd kept in touch, and, while she's   
independent, I guess she didn't like living alone in the apartment she'd had.. so she came   
here, only, she hasn't got the credit established to Rent an apartment or anything, so she's   
staying with me until she can make it on her own. I brought her here today because She   
needs a job, and we're hiring, soo.." I trailed off, letting that hang in the air as I   
contemplated. Typically, conversations don't allow for such long-winded speeches, and I   
worried slightly that their anime nature might be rubbing off. Too bad Sherra wasn't here   
with that Mazoku-making sword.   
  
I was waiting for my Managers response when I heard a rather funny thug behind me.   
Turning around, I spotted Mara, passed out, with a bottle of liquor in one hand and my   
steering wheel in the other. Today was really going to suck. 


	3. 3

Disclaimer:   
Ranma 1/2 is Owned by Rumiko Takahashi.   
Sailor Moon is owend by Naoko Takeuchi.   
Ah! Megami-Sama! is Owned by Kosuke Fujishima.  
  
Not Another SI Fic!  
By; Taiteki Kagato  
  
My car was gone. Somehow Mara had driven up into the mountains, drunk, and then   
driven over the edge of the road. Wherever it was, it was shattered, battered, broken,   
and… I sighed. A quick couple words to Mara, and she left, staggering towards my   
apartment. I then finished my little conversation with my manager, and started doing the   
things one must do to get a restaurant ready for customers in the morning.   
  
Work was uneventful, as Makoto was interviewed and her paperwork was drawn up, and,   
right up until she was asked for a social security number, I figured everything was going   
okay.   
  
"… a what?"  
"Social Security Card and some form of Photo ID. Bring them in tommorow, and you're   
all set." My manager said, shuffling the papers in front of him around, before   
straightening them and standing up.  
"We'll see you tommorow, Makoto."  
"Ha.. err.. Okay!"  
  
I groaned. Having heard that, I thought about the fastest way to resolve this problem.   
Illegally. However, I had no clue how to do something like that. I didn't even know   
where to start, so doing anything like that would be a pain. I sighed. Another problem I'd   
have to overcome.   
  
The rest of the day at work went by, and when all was finished, I handed in my money,   
pocketed my tips, and walked out the door, Makoto in tow.   
  
"Kyle?"  
"Yeah?"   
"I need a Social Security Card and Picture ID."  
"I know."  
"Do I have those?"  
"Not yet."  
"Do you have a plan or something?"  
"Nope."  
  
Makoto stopped walking, and stared at me. I turned to her, and grinned. "Come on..   
We'll figure something out. We've got… 17 hours or so.. plenty of time!" I smiled at her,   
though really, I cringed inside. She looked surprised, and worried.   
  
Without warning, she sat down on the curb and buried her head in her arms. I just   
blinked, before taking a hesitant step towards her.   
  
"Makoto? Are you.." I stopped that sentence. Of course things weren't all right. She's   
stuck in a totally different universe than her own, torn away from all her friends and   
forced to live with people who, up until recently, she'd never know, or (in my case) talk   
to.   
  
"Makoto," I said, sitting down beside her. I didn't know what to do, then. I knew I should   
be there for her, but should I put my arm around her? Pat her on the back? Say something   
sappy?   
  
"Makoto…" I sighed. "Believe it or not, I understand."  
  
I got a snort for my attempt. She jerked her head up and looked at me, reddening, tear-  
rimmed eyes staring at me almost angrily.  
  
"You understand? How could you understand? I don't understand. Why am I here?   
Where is here? All my friends are.. are… somewhere I can't go, and.. and.. " her head fell   
back into her arms again, and she shook as more sobs wracked her body. I sighed again,   
and placed my hand on her back, hoping she wouldn't get upset by it. When she didn't hit   
me, I slowly started talking, staring wistfully out at the mountains in the distance.  
  
"Makoto… My family and friends.. what few I have, are all a thousand miles away.. I'm   
lost in this big city, surrounded by plains and mountains, somewhat like you are. You   
have all the other senshi working night and day to find a way to bring you back, and it's   
only a matter of time before they figure it out. Meanwhile, I'm stuck in a job that doesn't   
pay enough to cover my bills, and have little to look forward to once you leave. You   
guys… As much as I complain, this is probably the nicest thing Life's thrown at me in   
years. Mara's a little much.. and Nabiki.. despite her smiles, I doubt she trusts me much..   
but you…" I looked at her, then, and she was looking at me, the tears slowing, and she   
waited for me to finish what I had to say.  
  
"I think you're probably the best to appear here… if the three of you, You're the only one   
I feel confidant enough to call my friend." I smiled at her, and stared at the ground, my   
hands dropping to the sidewalk beside me.   
"and with as few as I have.." I said quietly. I looked up the hill to the apartment complex   
I lived in, and thought for a moment.   
  
"Would you like to go for a walk? There's a park a little ways from here and.. well.. "  
"Okay," she said, quietly.   
  
The walk there was quick, and we didn't say anything at that time, but watching Makoto,   
I wondered what she was thinking about as we made our way down the streets of Denver.   
Arriving at the park, I looked at it and sighed. In Sailor Moon, parks had trees and narrow   
paths and benches and things... This was a field of grass, a tree here or there for change,   
and a small stream that was probably composed of runoff more than fresh water.   
  
"This is a park?" Makoto asked with a frown. I sighed, and nodded. Then I noticed a   
thicket of trees off in the corner. She must have noticed it as well, because she started off   
in that direction almost immediately. I followed, wondering what to do once we got there.   
  
There was a small dirt trail that lead into the trees, and Makoto started down it   
confidently. I followed a couple steps behind her, looking around curiously. Finally, we   
came to a small clearing with a mount of dirt in the center. It wasn't much of a bench, but   
it seemed to do, because Makoto walked up to it and sat down, lying back to look up at   
the sky. Unsure whether or not to do the same, I stood there staring at the ground beside   
her, before moving to lean against a tree.  
  
Makoto stared into the sky, and I looked around the clearing, my eyes continually drawn   
to the girl lying there. Finally, I collapsed against the tree, and looked at the trees and the   
rocks and stuff and wondered why Denver had made this a park.  
  
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, snapping me out of my guesses at how much tax money an   
apartment building the size of the park would bring the city.   
"Hm?"  
"Why do you think I'm here?"  
"Ahh… Well… I don't know. I'd like to think it was for some sort of multi-versal   
storyline in which I get co save the world fighting some evil with other random heroes by   
my side.."  
"You want to be a hero?"  
"Actually I want to take over the world so I don't have to stop at red lights and pay rent.   
But since you're a super hero, I don't think telling you an a closet evil-minion with   
aspirations of world-domination would go over well." I silently congratulated myself for   
saying all that without stuttering.   
"…" She looked at me strangely, and I shrugged.  
"Not like it will happen. I've got too many morals to walk all over people.. and that's if I   
got some sort of power.. which, unfortunately, this universe seems to be lacking."  
"Oh? So no Dark Kingdom, ancient powerful civilizations, or magic practitioners?" She   
asked, rolling on her side and propping her head up on her hand. I shifted around so I was   
laying with my head held up by the tree, and looked at her.   
"Nope. Just science. Too bad. I'd really love to be able to teleport, or freeze time.. hell,   
I'd settle for Ranma-esque martial arts skills. Not many roofs to hop here, but being able   
to throw a car sounds kind of nice." I smiled wistfully, then looked at Makoto. "Why?"  
"Why what?"  
"I don't know. Why do you ask?"  
"I just wanted to know why you'd like to be.. well.. whatever you want to be."   
"Financially Secure."  
She looked at me, then rolled her eyes, before sticking her tongue out at me.   
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"  
"When I grow up? I'm twenty. How much older do you want me to get?" She asked.   
"…"  
She stared at me, as I gave a classic deer-in-the-headlights look of confusion.  
"What'd I say?" She asked, Rolling over into her stomach, and propping her head up in   
her hands.   
"… Twen.. twenty?" I finally managed.  
"Yeah."  
My mind reeled at that. At twenty, Makoto was younger than me by a couple months,   
and…  
"How long ago was the Galaxia incident?" I asked, curious.  
"A few years. Why?"  
"… So you went forward in time, too, then." I watched as she blinked, then frowned.   
"Is that important somehow?" She asked, quirking a brow at me.  
"I suppose not. Just.. When were you born?"   
"December Fifth, 1977."  
"Yeah.. I was born five years after you. February 25th, 1982."  
"So you're… but.. oh." I nodded.   
"Weird." She muttered.  
"Weird." I replied, nodding some more.  
"So… why are you here?" She asked, watching me.  
"It's a long story." I replied, looking away.  
"I'm not going anywhere."   
I resisted the urge to say the same about the conversation, then sighed.  
"There were problems back home I didn't feel like dealing with, and the best solution at   
the time was to leave. So I left.   
"You ran away?" she asked, frowning. I frowned back at her, "Yes. But this isn't   
something you stand and fight. Some problem you have to smash, and others are fought   
by leaving them alone. This was the latter, and some day, it will all be resolved."  
"Oh. Was it bad?"  
"Somewhat. I lost a lot, but gained a lot, too. I met some great people on my way here,   
and I've learned since moving."  
My vague answers seemed to deter her from asking more questions, because the clearing   
stayed quiet for a couple minutes.   
"You don't remind me of my old sempai." She said, suddenly.  
"… Why'd you mix Japanese and English?" I finally asked, unsure how to respond to   
that particular statement.  
"Because one of those fics Nabiki read crossed her world and mine, and I seemed to say   
that a lot."  
"… Oh," I chuckled, "which fic?"  
"I don't remember."  
"I hate when that happens," I said with a smile. She shrugged, and rolled over, sitting up   
and staring at the trees.   
"If you're here long enough, I'll have to make you sit down and read The Judge's 'Sailor   
Moon: Millennials.'"  
"Good story?"  
"If there was a sixth season, this would be it." I said, sounding sure of myself.  
"That good, eh?" she asked.  
"Yeah.. I just wish the author'd update it again." I sighed at that, then moved so that I   
was sitting similarly to Makoto. She looked around, before standing and moving over to   
sit up against the tree beside mine.   
"…Hello." I said, quirking a brow at her. She grinned and shrugged, before looking at the   
ground.   
"So…" I started, wondering if it was safe to continue, "feeling a little better?"  
She nodded, staring down and to the side. I looked away then, getting upset at myself. I   
was starting to like her 'like that,' and a relationship wouldn't work out to well if she   
went home. Not to mention we're living with two other girls in an apartment meant for   
one.   
Makoto stood up then, blushing slightly before turning to the little path that lead back to   
the fields and the rest of my reality.  
"We ought to head back if we're going to find a way to get me those things I need to   
work tommorow." Makoto said.  
"Oh yeah." I looked at the ground, then up at the sky. "Won't this be fun," I muttered to   
myself.  
  
The walk back to my apartment was similar to the walk to the park, though Makoto   
walked beside me instead of following me, knowing the way this time. Finally, in view of   
the complex once again, Makoto grabbed my arm and stopped me.   
  
"Kyle… thanks."  
I nodded, and smiled at her, knowing that I did do the right thing, after all.  
"I… no problem, Makoto." 


	4. 4

Disclaimer:   
Ranma 1/2 is Owned by Rumiko Takahashi.   
Sailor Moon is owend by Naoko Takeuchi.   
Ah! Megami-Sama! is Owned by Kosuke Fujishima.  
  
Not Another SI Fic!  
By; Taiteki Kagato  
  
Opening the door to my apartment, I expected to find Nabiki on my computer, or doing   
something else Nabiki-ish. Instead, I had to squint at the heat that rolled out the door to   
greet Makoto and I, and the sounds of a fighting game coming from my dated television.   
  
"…the hell?" I muttered, stepping inside as I took my jacket off. There, in front of my   
little-used television, Nabiki and Mara sat, both fighting each other in a round of Mortal   
Combat on a Nintendo Gamecube I was sure I hadn't had when I'd left for work earlier. I   
blinked once, then stared at the 'cube, noticing a sticker attached to the side. Moving   
closer to take a peek, I read the sticker:  
"Wall-Mart Display Unit. Do not remove from Store."  
  
I stared at the Gamecube for a moment, then collapsed on the couch, a soft moan   
announcing my dissatisfaction at the way my life kept turning.   
  
Makoto shut the door, and took a seat at the other end of the couch, watching the game   
with interest. Glancing at the screen, I watched as Sub-Zero pounded a beefy-looking   
Sonya into the ground. Then, realizing I was loosing track of what was important, I   
turned and glared at the culprit.  
  
"Mara! How could you steal this, after destroying my car? Are you trying to ruin my   
life?" She turned to look at me, then returned her gaze to the television.   
"You don't really think you'll get me to feel sorry, do you?" She finally asked, as Sub-  
Zero executed a six-hit combo onscreen before impaling Sonya on a blade of ice.   
  
"Well.. no. But if you manage to get me arrested, you'll be out of a home. And you all   
stand a better chance of going home if you three and I work together."  
  
"Hmph. I kind of like it here. No Doublet system, no irksome Deities or even more   
irksome Demon Lords to take orders from…" She spared me a glance, a malicious glint   
in her eye.   
  
"Finish Him!" The television cried out.  
  
"DAMNIT, NABIKI!" Mara roared, all mirth and malice vanishing.   
"Hey! So sue me if you're easy to beat. I can't help it if you suck."  
  
Glancing up, I noticed Mara, who'd been playing Sonya, had failed to get even one hit in   
on Nabiki's character. Then I shrugged.  
  
"Be that as it may, what if Belldandy and Keiichi achieve happiness or something? Could   
you live with yourself knowing that they're all lovey-dovey and you could have stopped   
them?"   
"Hmm.. we can't have that. But how would I stop them?"   
"… umm…" Damn. I'd really backed myself into a corner here. Glancing around, I   
spotted one of my wall scrolls, and blurted out one word.   
"Jusenkyo?"  
  
Nabiki turned to look at me, eyebrow quirked, then crossed her arms.  
"I don't really think she'd like my universe too much."  
  
Mara stared off into space thoughfully, before shrugging. "Whatever. I'll do what I want,   
mortal. But, to make you happy…" She snapped her fingers, and turned to look at the   
Gamecube. "There. All better now?" she asked. Then she walked out the door.  
  
Turning to the 'cube, I noticed that the sticker had fallen onto the floor, leaving a gooey   
residue where it had been.  
  
"…"  
  
Makoto picked up the abandoned controller, and started a new game. Nabiki, not missing   
a beat, scooted up beside her and commented lazily, "Care to wager a little something on   
the outcome?"   
  
"I'm broke." Makoto said, eyes watching the screen intently as she tried to decide whom   
she'd play as.  
  
Nabiki deflated a bit, selecting Sub-Zero once again, and starting a new fight, this time   
against Scorpion. Pulled the couch back into a bed, and crawled under the covers (and   
under my pillow) to get a couple hours of rest.  
  
A couple hours later I awoke, somewhat rested, to find Nabiki and Makoto sprawled out   
on the floor, sleeping as well. Looking at them asleep, I sighed, and moved to put them   
on the bed, where at least they didn't have to worry about drafts, or funky carpet-  
corduroy marks. Nabiki was relatively light, as was Makoto, though moving both took   
time so as not to wake them.   
  
After that was done, I moved over to my computer, and started scouring the web. But   
first, I checked my E-Mails.   
  
"Junk, junk, junk, message reply, message reply, ooh!"  
  
Reading over the letter quickly, I shrugged and closed it, somewhat disappointed.   
Sometimes people write a lot, but say little. Opening the next letter, I read it quickly, and   
grinned. On the other hand, some people just write from the heart, and it shows. I'd have   
to get back to Stephen, but for now…   
  
A couple hours later, I groaned and stood up, unable to handle it any more. I'd found   
someone in the area who knew a friend who once had a deal with a guy who could get   
Makoto the paperwork required to get a job, but the price was a little steep. Without my   
car, I had little to bargain with. If I took ALL my money, the hidden and what I'd earned   
earlier, I could probably barter, but that was rent money and utilities, as well. My only   
hope, then, would be that Makoto could make enough quickly enough to get rent.   
  
With that in mind, I changed, grabbed my wallet, all my hidden bills, a cup full of coins I   
kept on the counter, and reached for my Keys.  
  
"Son of a…" I hope the city busses accept quarters.  
  
An hour later, in a much seedier part of town, I Scowled at the world around me, doing   
what I could to appear tougher than I really was. Changing was a good idea, I realized,   
because a trench coat like I was wearing could hide a lot more than a golf shirt could…   
and the wary gazes I received told me that the look of having a weapon was enough to   
keep me somewhat safe.  
  
"Mr.. Kagey-toe?" I rolled my eyes, but refused to correct the man.   
"Yes?" I asked, sounding bored. My heart sped up a bit as I turned to look at the man   
who'd spoken. The less I said about him, the better, but the transaction went pretty good,   
though, I lost all the money (as I'd expected) and my Army Ring (which I hadn't   
expected) before receiving a home-made single use lamination kit, a page of instructions,   
and the parts to an area ID, minus the photo. I also received what looked like an aged and   
faded Social Security Card for one "Kino Makoto."   
  
I turned to go, and the man called out to me softly before I got too far away, "Those are   
for visual use only. They won't hold up to any close inspection." Nodding as I turned the   
corner, I paused to think about how I would get to the other side of Denver without any   
money.  
  
With a rather resigned sigh, I began walking south, hoping I'd get home before too long.   
Five or so minutes later, it started to snow.  
  
Cold and tired, I opened the door to my apartment, and collapsed to the floor, enjoying   
the relative warmth coming from the heater. Unfortunately, with the door hanging open,   
what little warmth I had flew out the door, and was replaced with more cold air. Nabiki   
and Makoto were, understandably, not pleased with the loss of warmth.  
  
"Close the damn door!" Nabiki and Makoto cried.   
  
I quickly kicked the door shut, and turned to look at them. Makoto was at the computer,   
watching "Terminator Two" and Nabiki...  
  
Nabiki stood there, in the middle of the room shivering, dripping on the floor and   
wrapped only in a towel. Apparently, she'd just stepped out of the shower when I let her   
have it with a blast of Colorado winter.   
  
"Eh, sorry." I managed, standing and shaking off the snow that still rested on my coat. I   
also reached into pocket and produced the items I'd gained on my little trip, tossing them   
on the desk.   
  
Makoto reached out and held up the items, with a quirked brow. Shrugging my coat off, I   
hung it up in the closet, before returning to the room. The heater was starting to replace   
the cold air I'd let in with warm air, and Nabiki had ducked back into the bathroom to, I   
assumed, put on something warmer than a towel.   
  
A little later, we sat around, staring at each other, with little to do. Makoto's movie had   
ended, and we now were contemplating what to do next. My choice, to sleep, had been   
tossed out immediately, and so I simply listened to their discussion.  
  
"We need to find a way to get home." Makoto started.  
  
"Right," Nabiki responded, staring at Makoto as if she'd missed a rather obvious point.  
  
"I mean, we need to actively search for a way to get home."  
"I understood that. I'm still waiting for an explanation as to how we should begin."  
"Umm… we could.. umm…" Makoto trailed off, there, and I spoke up, the content of the   
conversation painfully redundant to me.  
  
"Why don't you try calling Mercury again?"  
  
Makoto blinked at that, then looked at her watch, pressing a couple buttons to activate it.   
Powering the communicator again, the screen turned black, before a face appeared on the   
screen. The sound of a rather intense battle could also be heard, though through the small   
speakers, it was hard to make out what was going on. I quirked a brow at that, but waited   
to ask questions.  
  
"Ano, Jupiter? Could you call back in a little bit? We're…" She paused, and I heard a   
grunt that sounded like the speaker had just been hit, or had hit the ground hard. Whoever   
was on the other end spoke up again, then. "…busy." She sounded pained, and I got   
slightly worried. Something was wrong with this situation, but I couldn't remember what   
it was. Makoto, however, was on her feet, glaring at the small screen.   
  
"Mercury! Tell me what I can do to help!"  
  
"Well… Actually, now that you mention it, hold on…"   
  
The sounds of battle continued for a moment, and I could hear indistinct speech between   
Mercury and someone else. Finally, she returned, as she resumed speaking.  
  
"When I tell you to, try blasting the vortex where your signal terminates."  
"The what?"  
  
I pointed to where the white light shooting out the top of her watch stopped in mid-air.   
  
Makoto nodded, and then transformed, blinding Nabiki and I, who'd been used to the   
dark. Watching through cracked eyelids, Makoto changed into Sailor Jupiter, and finished   
in her pose, before looking at her communicator.   
  
"Umm.. maybe you should take it off, if you have to shoot at it…" Nabiki suggested.   
Sailor Jupiter nodded, and removed the communicator, tossing it on the floor by the door.   
  
The light coming from the top wavered for a moment, fading, before bursting into a small   
silvery vortex similar to the one seen on "Sliders."   
  
"That's…" I started, unsure what it was. Interesting, yes, but also unnerving.  
  
"NOW, JUPITER!" Mercury shouted.   
  
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Jupiter executed her best concentrated attack, the magical   
blast flying out to strike the pile of computer hardware that I'd pulled out of my   
computer. Having shielded my eyes, I missed what happened next, but when I finally   
looked, my questionable hardware was sparking and smoking, and the outlet my Heater   
plugged into looked somewhat melted, though it was hard to tell, as everything electric in   
my apartment had shut off.   
  
"… Please, God, let the circuit breaker have gone, and not everything powered I own." I   
muttered, moving into the Kitchen.   
  
"Jupiter! Hurry!" Mercury cried again, not knowing what had happened here.  
  
"Sparkling wide PRESSURE!" Jupiter cried again, this time managing to hit the vortex.   
The attack disappeared into the vortex, and I sighed in relief, opening the fuse box, and   
feeling that the main switch wasn't all the way over. Flipping it fully off, I counted to   
three, and flipped it on, hoping everything would work.   
  
My computer whirred as it restarted, and the Gamecube's power indicator light began to   
glow, indicating that power was restored. At least, I thought it had, until my heater   
dropped a dozen sparks out of the lower intake vent, and then died. The rest of the   
apartment, however stayed powered, and I heard a snap, as the circuit breaker for the   
outlet overloaded again.   
  
Turning back to Jupiter, I sighed, and started to berate her for her bad aim, when the   
vortex wavered, shrank, and then exploded, growing in size to hide my door, and most of   
the wall beside it.   
  
Nabiki, Jupiter and I blinked, surprise on our faces as something insubstantial appeared   
far away in the vortex's tunnel-like distance. Jupiter took a tentative step forward,   
muttering softly "Home," and I hoped she was right. However, the speck became a spot,   
then a small humanoid figure, growing rapidly, until whatever it was flew from the   
vortex, and landed on the floor of my apartment with a thud. The vortex collapsed, then,   
the communicator's beam returning to its typical white configuration.   
  
The figure on the floor stirred, giving me a good look at its face, and I groaned,   
recognizing it, somewhat.   
  
"DOUBLAZ!" It cried, reinforcing my idea of what it was.   
  
"Nabiki! Grab the sword under the bed and kill it before it gets up!"  
  
"What!?"  
  
"It's a Daimon/Youma/Card-BAD THING!" I shouted, the creature shakily climbing to   
its feet.  
  
Jupiter, finally snapping out of her shock, Grabbed the creature in a headlock, and   
Looked at Nabiki with a worried look on her face. "Whatever you're going to do, do it   
fast…" She muttered, and I moved, running around the counter, and over to the door,   
where I threw it open. Mara stood outside, looking a little surprised.  
  
"I felt something radiating evil, and thought I- whatthehell!?!"  
  
Her final comment was caused by Doublaz being thrown out the door and knocking her   
off her feet and onto her rear.  
  
"Sparkling Wide-"   
  
"Mara, MOVE!" I cried, diving out of the doorway. Mara disappeared in a small cloud of   
brimstone, as Jupiter finished her attack.  
  
"PRESSURE!!" The electrically charged leaves shot out, shocking the creature. Once   
Jupiter seemed finished, Nabiki shouldered her way out the door, sword drawn. It wasn't   
sharp, but watching her, it didn't need to be, as she brought the blade down in a fierce   
overhead swing. Digging into the creature a few inches, it was very effective in getting   
the things attention. It reached out, and grabbed the sword, pushing it towards Nabiki   
hard. Nabiki flew back into the wall, slid to the ground, unconscious.  
  
Not knowing how else I could help, I Grabbed the only other weapons I had, and   
brandished them, knowing I would be ineffective but hoping to buy Jupiter enough time   
to execute something more powerful.   
  
Ka-bar in one hand, and Expanding Baton in the other, I spun, Putting all my strength   
into the steel baton, aiming for the base of it's skull. With a loud Crack, my spin stopped,   
the jolt of impact traveling up my arm to painfully twist my shoulder. Reversing   
Direction, I spun the other way, hoping to drive the blade in my other hand into the   
creature's stomach.  
  
I succeeded, the blade sinking to the handle a few inches below the gash Nabiki had   
opened, and I let go, jumping back as far as I thought was safe. The kick I received   
proved I wasn't quite out of reach, and as I hit the railing that paralleled the sidewalk,   
bending it with the force of impact, I shouted, collapsing to the ground in pain.   
  
Weakly looking up, I saw the creature turn to glare at Nabiki and take a step toward her.   
  
"Jupiter Oak REVOLUTION!" I heard Jupiter call out. The Electrified leaves shot out to   
hit the creature, and it staggered, before falling to the ground, twitching.  
  
Mara appeared then, beside me, and sighed, loudly.  
  
"I though I could use this thing as a minion, but it's too simple minded to give a task to.   
Oh well. It has other uses."   
  
Too pained to ask questions, I watched as she grabbed the creature and buried her hand in   
it's chest. The thing writhed in agony, before suddenly turning as black as ash. When it   
crumbled to dust, I realized it had been turned to ash, and looked up at Mara, somewhat   
fearful of what she would do next.  
  
"Ah! Now that was refreshing. Nothing like a good hit of power after a hard day of work.   
Now to get drunk." And with that, Mara disappeared, leaving the three of us alone for the   
rest of the night.  
  
Crawling to my feet, I groaned as multiple muscles and bruises made their pain known.   
Jupiter was crouched over Nabiki, and I joined her, looking at Nabiki carefully. No pink   
fluid running from her ears or nose, and no apparent breaks or bruises along her back, or   
limbs.   
  
Spotting a spot of blood on the wall where she'd impacted, I felt the back of her head   
gently, the sticky spot of blood telling me she'd just hit her head hard.   
  
"She's hurt her head. We need to be careful, incase she has a concussion." I winced in   
pain as I tried to gently move her.   
"I'll carry her. You just keep her head steady." Jupiter said, staring at Nabiki worriedly. I   
nodded, and together, we got her inside, and onto the Futon.  
  
I frowned in thought, collapsing into my chair painfully. A concussion… did you elevate   
the feet or the head for those? Cursing myself for forgetting everything I'd learned in the   
Army, I decided to take a medical approach. A concussion was a bruise on the brain,   
right? So I should try to get rid of the swelling, meaning she should have her head   
elevated. Coming to that conclusion, I moved to the closet to pull out a stack of folded   
shirts, and moved to put them under Nabiki's head and upper back, hoping they'd help.  
  
When I finished, I went over to the kitchen, and grabbed the bottle of pills I always had   
sitting on the counter. Popping off the top, I swallowed a couple, and threw the bottle   
back in the general direction I'd gotten it from. 1600 Milligrams of Ibuprofen should help   
with the pain, I hoped.  
  
Makoto, who'd untransformed at some time, appeared beside me, looking at the pills.   
  
"Pain Killers?"   
  
I nodded, and she grabbed the bottle, downing a couple, as well. I quirked a brow, and   
she lifted her shirt a bit to show me a dark bruise on her stomach.  
  
"It elbowed me rather hard while I was holding it. Cracked a rib or two, I think." I   
blinked, having missed that, and glad that she'd not been more seriously wounded.   
  
Turning to look at Nabiki, I frowned, as her complexion seemed somewhat pale. Looking   
around, I realized I could see my breath, and I realized she extremely cold.   
  
"Ah! Get a blanket and help me!" I cried, diving to lie beside Nabiki. Her arm was ice-  
cold, and I recoiled at first, before holding her in an attempt to keep her warm. Then the   
pain of the injuries I'd suffered let me know that diving across the room was a bad idea,   
and I moaned in pain. Stifling the scream I wanted to give out.  
  
Makoto, grabbing the blanket I'd been sleeping under, got on the other side of Nabiki,   
and, with a slightly uncomfortable look, joined me in trying to warm Nabiki up, throwing   
the blanket over the three of us. A minute later, I fell asleep, the day's events finally   
catching up with me, and the adrenaline abruptly wearing off. 


	5. 5

[Poke, pokepoke]  
  
Once again being awakened to the feeling of someone or something poking me, I opened my eyes, while   
my brain slowly started up again. First off, I noticed the poking stopped. Then temperatures   
registered. My body was warm for the most part, and I could feel sheets on most of me, but my head   
and arm was extremely cold.   
  
Rolling my eyes to look at Makoto, I spotter her glaring at me, with a pen in one hand outstretched,   
and the other hand on her hip. She looked upset, and I frowned, unsure what   
I'd done..  
  
Soft. There was something soft, and bizarrely familiar under my left hand. Focusing on what was lying   
beside me, I realized Nabiki still laid there, head slightly elevated, and my hand was currently   
resting upon...  
  
"Augh!" I jumped back, which, unfortunately, wasn't too smart, as the wall was a foot and a half   
behind me, and I only succeeded in falling off the bed and onto the floor in a heap under the   
blankets.   
  
Makoto chuckles softly at this, and I reached up to lift my head above the bed, glaring at her as I   
struggled out of my cloth prison. When I was finished, I shivered, and quickly covered Nabiki with   
the blankets I'd torn from the bed in my hasty retreat.  
  
Quickly changing into something warmer, I exited my closet and looked at Makoto, who, now that I   
looked at her, was wearing my sweater over what looked like one of my thicker long sleeve shirts.   
  
"Why the hell is it so cold?" I muttered. The wounded look on Makoto's face, and her sudden refusal   
to meet my eye reminded me of her attempts to help her friends last night, and the resulting damage   
done to my heater.  
  
"Err.. Makoto. I'm sorry." I lamely amended, stepping towards her slowly, unsure how to take back   
what I'd said. She sighed heavily, and I sat on the bed, staring at the TV. Looking at the clock, I   
realized it was rather late in the morning. Glad I didn't have to work today, I thought about going   
to sleep again, but something was nagging me, a stray thought in the back of my head. Shrugging, I   
moved over to my desk, Makoto slouching in the chair nearby and idly nosing through the Sailor Moon   
manga she'd pulled off the shelf. Pushing the stuff on the desk out of my way, something I didn't   
immediately recognize fell to the floor, and I leaned over to pick it up. Looking at it, I suddenly   
spun to look at the clock.   
  
Makoto was twenty minutes from being late to her orientation! Jumping to the counter, where she'd   
placed her uniform, I tossed them at her, then looked at the things I'd purchased last night, hoping   
I could get everything done in time. Makoto, snapping out of her daze when her bagged uniform   
smacked her in the side of the head, quickly went into the bathroom and changed, while I looked   
everything over.  
  
"Simple enough." I muttered, holding up an old Polaroid camera I had sitting under my desk. When   
Makoto exited the bathroom, I snapped a picture, and waited for it to appear, scissors in hand. When   
it did, I quickly cut out Makoto's head, hoping nobody would pay attention to the edge of the mirror   
behind her.   
  
Laminating the ID quickly, I followed the paper instructions, and ended up with what looked like a   
legitimate Illinois Drivers License, though, I would have to check to see if his was what one really   
looked like. Hopefully, The managers would give it the customary once-over, and move on.  
  
After Makoto had left, I turned to look at Nabiki, lying in bed, and then the broken heater. I   
thought about opening it to poke around inside, but reconsidered after I realized I had no idea what   
I'd find, and even less an idea of what to do even if I did. Swallowing a couple more painkillers, I   
decided it was a good time to go to the main office, and talk to the landlord about getting a new   
heating unit.  
  
Piling a couple blankets on Nabiki to make sure she stayed warm, I threw on my jacket and trudged up   
to the office, wondering how much colder Denver could get. Entering the office, I looked around, and   
wondered what I would have to do to get someone to make me some cotton candy. I didn't want to ask   
why a cotton candy machine was in the office of an apartment complex, so I pretended it wasn't there   
as we started to talk about getting a new heater.  
  
The landlady was upset at first, but when I explained it was a freak electrical surge, and my quick   
thinking saved the wiring in the rest of the apartment, she relented, and said a workman would come   
out to take a look at it in a couple hours. Thanking her, I left, pausing to realize that it had   
started snowing. Shivering slightly, I jogged over to my mailbox grabbing what little mail I had, and   
then ran back to my apartment.  
  
Glancing at Nabiki, I noticed she was stirring slowly, and moved over to the side of the bed to see   
if she'd wake up. After a moment, here eyelids slowly peeled open, and she looked around wearily for   
a moment before focusing on me.  
  
"So it's dead, then?" She asked, her voice somewhat hoarse. I nodded, going into the kitchen to grab   
a glass of water for her before pulling a chair over to the side of the bed.   
  
"What, are you going to read me a story?" she asked, staring at me. I chuckled then sat down, the   
painkillers finally kicking in.   
  
"No. I just wanted to see if you were all right. You hit the wall pretty hard, and it doesn't yield   
as well as other things." She quirked a brow at this, and I turned, pulling up my shirt to show her   
my back. I heard her grunt, and later found out that the railing had left a ladder-shaped bruise   
across my back.  
  
"I don't think Makoto should try to help her friends.. Unless they're fighting something simple..   
like a mouse or a rabbit."  
  
I chuckled at that, the mental image of Jupiter shocking Usagi for no reason surprisingly funny,   
before looking at her.  
  
"How's your head? And the rest of you for that matter. We didn't really know what to do after we got   
you in bed." She blinked at that, and I fidgeted, realizing what I'd just said. "I mean, when we put   
you in your place." A frown. I felt myself blushing and tried again, quickly, "I mean, we.. ahh..   
that is to sa.."  
  
"Nevermind, Kyle. I understand, all the same. You're really easy to fluster, you know that? And   
before you ask again, my head is throbbing, and my back feels like an elephant decided to play   
hopscotch on it. Got anything for pain?"  
  
"I don't know... are painkillers a good idea for a possible concussion?" The question was somewhat   
rhetoric, and she didn't answer, just staring at me as if I'd not said anything at all.  
  
Our ersatz conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door, and I moved to open it, annoyed at my   
inability to verbally spar with Nabiki. Opening the door, I recognized the man as one of the workers   
for the complex, and pointed to the Heater, before turning back to Nabiki.  
  
"We need to find a way home." She said, once I'd sat back down. I nodded, but didn't respond. She   
looked at me with a slight frown, and I stopped nodding to return her gaze.   
  
"We've been here a week, tonight. Makoto and Mara might not have family, but I do, and I'm sure their   
worried sick. Do you have any Idea how messed up Nerima is going to be when I get back?" I blinked,   
then shrugged.   
  
"It wont be too bad. I mean, you're.." I shut up, then, not wanting to finish what I'd started.   
'You're Nabiki' might come off as a little too harsh. Unfortunately, she'd deduced what I'd intended   
to say, and looked away, at the wall, visibly sinking into the bed a little more.  
  
"…I'm Nabiki." She said, quietly.   
  
Gritting my teeth, I squeezed the chair I was sitting in, before responding "Yeah… but they don't   
know you like I do. I know what they're thinking, because I felt that way before, too. But.. well..   
You're not the same person I'd come to expect."  
  
She rolled over and sat up, glaring at me, her eyes looking like they might burn a hole in me if she   
had the power, and also like they might let loose a flood of tears.   
  
"Oh, right. What with all the time you've spent with me, I'm sure you've gotten to know me quite   
well."  
  
"Hey! Don't pin this all on me. You've done a good job of distancing yourself from us, too."  
  
"Heh. The only one distancing themselves is Mara, in case you haven't noticed."  
  
"I noticed. And with the way things have been going lately, I'm not going to complain. I… Don't   
change the subject. You've not done all you could to be as friendly with us as you could, you know."  
  
"Friendly? Damnitt Kyle, I want to go home, not make friends!" I scowled at her for that, and holding   
back the anger that comment had brought forth, I responded, "it would be much easier for us to get   
along and work together to finding you a way home if you tried to be a little friendlier."  
  
"Hmph. Considering the way you and Makoto seem to be doing, I'd be butting in."  
  
"Butting in, to wh.. huh? Wait. What do you mean?" I stared at her, not quite sure I understood what   
she'd said. Sometime in our conversation, a few tears had broken free, and as she glared at me, the   
first one fell into her lap, darkening the cloth there.   
  
"Makoto likes you. And it's pretty apparent you like her, too."  
  
I just stared, not really at anything, as what she said sunk in. I honestly hadn't really thought   
about things like that. Being busy supporting two, occasionally three guests and thinking up ways to   
get them home, I'd not really thought about starting a relationship. But if what Nabiki said was true   
(and the part about me liking Makoto was, I realized) then-  
  
My thoughts were cutoff as my pillow hit me in the face, knocking me out of the chair in surprise.   
  
"You don't have to space out on me." Nabiki said, looking down at me from on the bed. I sat up, and   
sighed, looking down at the ground unhappily. "Nabiki, I'm sorry. I justt… look. You're a nice person   
when you want to be, and I don't mean to ignore you or anything, I just.. sometimes get the feeling   
you'd rather be left alone. Lets get cleaned up, and we can go out somewhere… I'll buy you… a   
moderately sized meal, or something to make it up to you." I looked at her, trying to look as sincere   
as I felt, and watched as she went from upset to calculating.  
  
"Moderately sized?" She asked, finally. I nodded, "We do need to save a little if your trip home   
isn't as soon as we all hope." She merely nodded at this, before sliding out of the sheets, and   
standing beside the bed. She wobbled a little, before moving into the bathroom, and I sighed, turning   
to the repairman, who seemed to be having a tough time pulling something out.  
  
"Dumb question, but are you going to be alright if I leave?"  
  
"Si, senior."   
  
"Right." Turning away, I looked for something clean to wear, and changed while Nabiki took a quick   
shower. When she was dressed, we left, bundled up as much as we could without looking ridiculous, to   
go eat at a nearby Subway.  
  
That evening, Nabiki and I were playing a game of You Don't Know Jack, when Makoto walked in, looking   
tired and somewhat worried.   
  
"How'd it go?" I asked once she'd shut the door. She looked at me, and shrugged. "Alright, I guess.   
Tomorrow though, they said they'd have to run all my numbers, and do all the paperwork." I nodded,   
then sighed. If the fake Ids were detected, there went that job. Still, since there was little I   
could do about it, I decided we'd best just sit it out and see what happens tomorrow.   
  
"Did you get a server booklet?" I asked, looking at the bag she'd carried in. She nodded, and   
retrieved it, rummaging through it to pull out a large book.   
  
"I have to fill out so much stuff it's not even funny," she groused. I just chuckled, and told her to   
pull up a chair. Then, I proceeded to tell her the answers I knew, the next couple hours going by   
quickly in a makeshift Q&A session. Nabiki just played YDKJ solo for a bit, before turning in for the   
evening. Makoto and I soon finished up, and, thankful the heater was once again working, I stretched   
out on the floor, wondering what would happen next.  
  
My question was answered around four in the morning, when I was once again woken up by Makoto poking   
me. Opening my eyes to look at her, I realized she looked worried, and sat up. "Something wrong?" I   
asked. As I did though, I realized that yes, there was something wrong.   
  
Nabiki, Makoto, and I all seemed to be glowing softly, a golden aura surrounding the three of us.   
Makoto, however seemed to be glowing green on the inside, and I assumed it was her magic fighting off   
whatever surrounded her. Looking closely, I thought I could detect a hint of green helping Nabiki, as   
well.   
  
"What the hell?" I asked, looking at Makoto again.  
  
"I.. I don't know. It's like an attack, but it's definitely magical. And it's strong too, my magic is   
almost fully used up protecting us."  
  
"Us?"  
  
"Yes.. I don't know quite how, but I'm protecting you two as well.. lets hope Mara isn't in any   
trouble…"  
  
"I-" my question was cut off as a tendril of golden light reached in towards Nabiki and Makoto's   
heads (and mine, too, I assumed) the green underneath bunching up where it would most likely connect   
and stopping it from reaching. A spot on the side of my head started to tingle, like some warm static   
shock, but nothing bad happened afterwards, so I assumed Makoto's magic did what it intended.  
  
That's when Makoto passed out. "Makoto!" I moved to catch her before she went through the television,   
and managed to intercept her at the last minute. Nabiki was awakened by the shout, and sat up,   
groggily. I felt another tingle begin, and saw that whatever surrounded us was once again reaching   
forth a tendril of magic towards out heads. This time, however, Makoto's magic wasn't there to stop   
it, and as the world grew white, I hoped I'd be waking up again. 


	6. 6

I awoke slowly, looking at my apartment currently illuminated by the sun shining   
through the opened blinds. Makoto's plants looked a little dry, and I made a   
note to myself to water them after my morning shower.  
  
Waitaminute.. Makoto's plants? She'd never bought any plants. And I'd never had   
plants, aside from my fake tree during the holidays. So where did these come   
from? Sitting up quickly, I felt my blanket move on its own, and looked down to   
see Makoto's arm wrapped around me as she slept, hugging me closer after I'd   
moved away in my shock.   
  
"Mako-chan, wak.." 'Mako-chan?' Where had that come from?  
  
"Makoto? Makoto, wake up." I said, poking her in the head. She groaned, and   
rolled away from my finger, exposing her bare back towards me. I froze for a   
moment, then calmed, remembering. Last night she'd come in after a rough day of   
work and...  
  
No! Last night there'd been some sort of magic attack... right? But looking at   
Makoto, I remembered waiting for Nabiki to fall asleep before... Nabiki! Looking   
around the apartment, I finally spotted her on the other side of a small tree,   
lying on an air mattress that Makoto and I had bought her when she'd lost her   
job and apartment.  
  
Wait. Hadn't she appeared, like Makoto, at my door a week ago? And.. someone   
else, as well... who...?  
  
"Augh!" I cried, a spike of pain driving into my skull as dozens of conflicting   
memories suddenly made their presence known.   
  
"Kyle? Kyle, are you okay?" Makoto asked, having been awakened by my anguished   
cry. Looking at her staring at me with concern, I frowned, fearful that at any   
moment she'd realize she was topless, and also mad at myself for having scared   
her.  
  
Scaring her? "... No." I said, emotionlessly. She blinked, and I watched as   
fear, then shock, and finally confusion danced across her face. She blinked   
again, then, then stared down at her hand, currently holding mine.   
  
"Could... could you hand me a shirt, please?" she asked, finally. Turning, I   
grabbed her favorite lazy-day t-shirt, and waited as she pulled it on.  
  
"I.. you.. we..." she motioned to the bed we currently shared, and my eyes   
widened in surprise as I caught the glint of gold on her hand. Reaching for it,   
I stopped as I noticed a small band of gold on my ring finger as well. Suddenly,   
I remembered a lot more about our "past."  
  
I met Makoto at MAGFest at the end of September, and we'd hit it off well,   
hanging out with each other during the conventions downtime. On the final day,   
I'd found her crying in her room, and learned that her parents had passed away   
in a plane crash on their way home from Japan. Her mother was Japanese, and her   
father was an American businessman, I knew, but I had no idea they were dead.   
  
Talking more, I found out that she now had no home to go to, as the government   
and various debts had forced her family's lawyers to foreclose on their   
property. She now had little money, and wasn't sure what she was going to do,   
now that the convention was over. After telling her about my problems, and lack   
of a home, as well, I offered her a seat in my car, telling her she could get   
out wherever she felt best.   
  
After arriving in Denver with her, and finding out my friend's home wasn't quite   
as welcoming as I'd thought, we lived out of my car, trying to find jobs and a   
home to live in. After a little bit, I'd found a job at Applebee's, and we moved   
into an apartment with my fathers help as cosigner.   
  
Our neighbor, Nabiki, introduced herself the day we moved in, and, while a bit   
arrogant acting, we hit it off well, and, in a few weeks, were always gathering   
for little movie-watching parties. After I'd established a connection with my   
co-workers to get alcohol, the parties got funnier as Makoto and I would watch   
Nabiki become less and less coordinated and perceptive with every drink.   
  
Though we were pretty poor, we grew closer, and then, after a long afternoon of   
heavy drinking, we woke up married, my wallet annoyingly empty and two small   
rings on our fingers. Unsure what or even how that had happened, we decided to   
just accept it, and kept on living together as a couple through December.  
  
In January, we awoke to find a red-eyed Nabiki at our door, an eviction notice   
in one hand, and a rather severe bank statement in the other. Letting her in, we   
decided to let her stay with us until she got back on her feet, and purchased an   
air mattress for her to place in the corner.  
  
Blinking, I stared at Makoto, reliving my past in an instant, before blushing.   
We'd done quite a bit after getting married, and thinking of Makoto like that,   
though normal to my 'new' self, was rather discomforting to the part of me who   
remembered Makoto as a   
Sailor Senshi, and a confused young woman who'd magically appeared on my   
doorstep a week ago.  
  
Taking a closer look around the apartment, I spotted some things now that were   
obviously changed. Mercury replaced the Jupiter in the small set of figurines I   
had on my shelf, and there were pictures here and there featuring Makoto and I   
around Denver that I could remember having taken of us on our outings.   
  
I snapped back to the here-and-now when Makoto's soft crying cut into my   
observation.   
Moving over to her swiftly, I placed my arm around her comfortingly, lovingly,   
before I knew what I was doing, and she jumped, looking at me with both fear and   
love in her eyes.   
  
Before I could stop to consciously think about it, I leaned forward to kiss her,   
and she responded, wrapping her arms around me, and we both fell to the bed,   
lips locked together passionately. Right before my hand grasped something it had   
yet to feel in the reality I remember, I pulled away, jumping from the bed in   
shock.  
  
Makoto looked extremely hurt at first, then realization hit her, and she blushed   
in shame. Not wanting to risk doing anything more to mess with her (or my)   
confused minds, I entered the bathroom quickly, turning on the water to the   
shower, and hoping I'd reach a sensible explanation for what was happening.  
  
Stepping out of the shower not feeling refreshed, but at least somewhat awake, I   
pulled on my robe, and stepped out of the bathroom, only to see Makoto sitting   
on the edge of the bed, a river of tears silently sliding down her face as she   
looked around the room.  
  
I sighed, not knowing how to handle this situation, but unwilling to leave my   
wif- Makoto crying without doing something. When I sat beside her, she looked at   
me, and I could feel her eyes prying into mine, searching for an answer I didn't   
have. Finally, she closed her eyes, and spoke.  
  
"What... What's happened to us?"  
  
"Well... either we're happily married, and suddenly gained memories of some   
really messed up life..."  
  
"-or I'm an anime character brought to life, and here, for reasons unknown."   
Makoto said, picking up where I left off. She had a habit of finishing off my   
sentences for me. Or did she? Which set of memories were real?   
  
"I... from a logical standpoint, being married to you makes sense. Inter-  
universal traveling and magic seems a bit.. off." While I said this, Makoto had   
scooted over to lean against me. While a part of me was worried, another part   
felt this normal, and while I debated what to do about it, I continued speaking.  
  
"However, were the more... 'normal life' theory true, why would we suddenly   
awaken one day with all these strange memories?" Makoto sighed, and I realized   
I'd put my arm around her reassuringly. Closing my eyes in frustration, I gently   
disengaged myself from her, and moved to put some pants on, before taking off   
the robe.   
  
Hearing Makoto's small squeak of surprise, I turned to her, and noticed she had   
turned an interesting shade of red. Turning to look at myself in the mirror, I   
didn't see anything too obvious. Turning around, however, I spotted some   
rather... interesting scratches along my back. When the memories of how I   
received them popped up, I joined Makoto in blushing, and quickly threw on one   
of my white undershirts.  
  
After briefly considering waking Nabiki, I walked into the small kitchen,   
wondering what had changed in there. Peering into the pantry, I grinned as I saw   
it was rather full, though not too many pre-made items were to be found. Pulling   
down a box of Coco Puffs, I quickly poured myself a bowl, and asked Makoto if   
she'd like one as well. She nodded, and I poured a second bowl, carrying both   
over to the bed before sitting beside her and digging in.  
  
While we ate in silence, I looked around more carefully at the apartment, and   
the more subtle changes I'd not spotted before became apparent. The Television   
didn't seem to have gotten much use, as there was a file layer of dust upon the   
screen itself. The Gamecube was nowhere to be seen, though the R/F Modulator I'd   
hooked it up to before was still sitting beside the television.  
  
Looking around, I noticed I'd wired my computer to the television, and I   
wondered briefly why I apparently never used the screen as a third monitor.   
Shrugging it off as unimportant, I looked at the plants that were now to be   
found around the apartment. The smallish tree between the closet and the   
kitchen, the fern hanging from a hook in the ceiling, the little plant on the   
desk that I could never remember the name of, despite Makoto's constant   
reminders.   
  
Looking over at the bookshelf, however, I noticed the most stunning plant of   
all. A bonsai tree, a rather large one at that, sat on the bookshelf, it's   
branches reaching out towards the window. Blinking as new memories (or were they   
the real ones.. it was getting hard to decide) surfaced, I remembered watching   
Makoto carefully trim it, feed it and water it multiple times, slowly bringing   
the tree from it's near-deathly state we'd gotten it in to the majestic little   
tree that our few visitors were always asking about.  
  
Finishing up the cereal, I set the bowl down, and turned to Makoto, who was a   
couple bites behind me. When she was done, she set her bowl aside as well, and   
we both blushed slightly, looking at each other as thoughts fought one another   
on both our heads.   
  
Settling on taking her hands, I reached out and held them, staring into her   
eyes, and realizing I was getting lost in them already. Blinking, I let go,   
unable to say what was on the tip of my tongue as, once again, a headache began   
to grow from the clash of memories.  
  
"Kyle?" Makoto asked, genuine worry in her voice.  
  
"I.. Every time I think too much, my head starts to hurt."  
  
I looked at her, quirking a brow as I realized something.  
  
"Doesn't it hurt to think about which memory is right?" I asked. She shrugged   
softly, before responding.  
  
"I just chose which set seems right, and ignore the other one as much as   
possible." I blinked at her, and tried to. It didn't work at first, as I'd   
started mixing and matching as soon as I'd awoken, but eventually I set myself   
more towards the conservative 'Makoto-came-from-an-anime' set of memories. The   
pressure in my head abating, I managed a soft grin, and sat back down beside   
her.  
  
"We should…" she started, trailing off as she looked over my shoulder. Turning,   
I realized she was looking at the still sleeping Nabiki, and finished the   
thought for her.  
  
"-wake her up?"  
  
Makoto nodded, and I turned, flipping from one set of memories to the other to   
see how best I should handle the situation. Shaking her roughly, and calling her   
name out, she stirred under me, finally cracking an eyelid enough to gaze at me.  
  
"You two make so much noise at night, and now you want to get me up early, as   
well?"  
  
Falling on my butt, I could feel the blood rushing to my face as Nabiki followed   
my short fall to the ground and subsequent reddening.   
  
"Geeze, what's the matter with you? It's not like you didn't know I knew."   
Blinking at her, I turned to Makoto, who was also an interesting shade of red.   
My extra set of memories also told me how far down the blush- "Argh!" I cried,   
shoving the palm of my hand into my eyes, before dragging them down my face   
slowly.   
  
Nabiki blinked at me, and then frowned. "Wait…" I stared at her, hoping she'd   
realized something was amiss.  
  
"Weren't we… But…" she trailed off, sitting up and staring at the wall beside   
her. Her eyes, I could see, were growing wider, and she suddenly grabbed her   
head, moaning.   
  
"What the hell did you do to us?" She suddenly whirled on me, fury in her eyes.  
  
"Eep!" I managed to get out, scrambling backwards, driving my head into the   
chair a second later. Falling onto my back, I groaned, grabbing my head for a   
non-memory-related headache, hoping Nabiki wouldn't do anything while I dealt   
with my self-inflicted pain.  
  
"He's not at fault. It happened to him too!" Makoto cried, moving to my side   
quickly. Cracking an eye, I looked up at Makoto, who was currently cradling my   
head in her lap and glaring at Nabiki. Thinking about it for a moment (and   
adding to my headache) I realized Makoto didn't baby me, but we were both really   
defensive for and about each other.   
  
"We fell for each other pretty hard, didn't we?" I asked, grinning up at her a   
little. She smiled down at me, and the pain in my head lessened a little, the   
feelings associated with the married life loosing a bit of their "foreign-ness."  
  
"Oh? Sorry about that, then, Kyle." Nabiki said, nonchalantly. Makoto stared at   
her for a second, then shrugged, apparently accepting it at face value. Slowly   
sitting up, I stared at the floor, and asked Nabiki if she could tell which   
memories were real, and which ones weren't.   
  
"No, they both seem about even. Whatever did this was really good, I suppose."  
  
"You suppose?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Yeah. Knowing how memory changing affects people is a rather necessary skill in   
Nerima… if, of course, that's where I'm from, and not some bizarre added-  
memory."  
  
I nodded, remember what she was talking about somewhat, but from an entirely   
different perspective.   
  
"All our memories correlate… both pairs. So… the task at hand, I suppose, is   
finding out which are real, and which aren't."  
  
"That'll be easy. Whichever memories contradict those everyone else appears to   
know will be real,' Nabiki stated.  
  
"Ehh? I'd think it's the ones that go along with the rest of the world's ideas   
best. After all, thinking a totally different history up that even you can't   
prove just makes you crazy," I countered.  
  
"True, but why would we all get the same memories if they didn't have some   
significance? Whatever did this was not playing a practical joke."  
  
"So.. so either you two appeared here inexplicably from an Anime universe,   
interrupting my pathetic life, or Makoto and I got Married after moving here,   
and you've just recently moved in until you can get back on your feet, right?"  
  
"Hmm.. sounds to me like you're hoping you didn't have a pathetic life." Nabiki   
said with a smirk.  
  
"Bah. Sounds to me like you don't want to believe in the strange and   
mysterious." Nabiki frowned at that, and said nothing. I turned to Makoto, who'd   
kept quiet for most of the argument.   
  
"Well, Mako-chan, what do you think?" She smiled a little at the pet name, and   
responded, "I think we ought to see if the rest of the world has conflicting   
memories, or if they all believe one thing or the other." Nabiki and I nodded   
softly as she said this, and she frowned at both of us suddenly. "I also think   
you two have forgotten about Kyle's first guest, Mara, from the Anime-memories." 


	7. 7

Disclaimer:   
Ranma 1/2 is Owned by Rumiko Takahashi.   
Sailor Moon is owend by Naoko Takeuchi.   
Ah! Megami-Sama! is Owned by Kosuke Fujishima.  
  
Not Another SI Fic!  
By; Taiteki Kagato  
  
Staring at Makoto, I considered what she'd said quickly. If Mara existed, that would push   
my favoritism to the Anime-World memories quite a bit. If she didn't then there would be   
little proof supporting Nabiki's favored theory.   
  
"Alright… So all we need is Mara, then." Nabiki stated, coming to the same conclusion I   
had. I shrugged, and sat up, the pain in my head having lessened enough that I could   
move again.   
  
"I… we need to go to work." Makoto said, looking at the desk clock. Thinking about it, I   
realized that, while I had today off in the Anime-World memories, I worked with Makoto   
today in the Normal-World. Preparing to argue, I realized that either way, it'd be better to   
show up and not be needed, than be needed and not show up. Realizing I already had my   
khaki pants on, I looked around for my work shirt and pulled it on after retrieving it from   
the back of the chair.   
  
Makoto disappeared into the bathroom, and a moment later I heard the shower start up.   
Sitting down at the computer, I started looking around for proof of which memories were   
real, and which ones weren't. Hitting my LiveJournal first, I read up from the first events   
and realized that they were corresponding with my Normal-Life memories. Remembering   
Nabiki's argument that, if this were real, why would we suddenly gain the false   
memories, I frowned in thought, as I read about my courtship of Makoto.   
  
With the memories, I could recall scenes described vaguely in the journal, but sometimes   
the journal would bring forward a memory I'd not yet accessed, and I'd realize how hard   
I really did fall for Makoto.   
  
When Makoto exited the bathroom wearing her Applebee's uniform, I shut down the   
browser, and stood, retrieving my car keys from their hook by the door and holding the   
door open for her. Glancing at the clock, Makoto gasped in surprise at the time, and   
exited, knowing that we'd make it to work, but with very little time to spare. Nabiki   
watched us go from the window, her figure moving away as I backed out of the parking   
spot.   
  
Arriving at work I couldn't spot anything as being visually off, though with both sets of   
memories being equally as strong, that shouldn't have surprised me. A few minutes later,   
though, Makoto and I both knew with no small degree of certainty which memories the   
world at large believed in 100%.  
  
"Man, Kyle.. what a guy like you is doing with a girl like her I'll never know." One co-  
worker said as Makoto filled the ice buckets. Glaring at the back of his head as he   
watched my wife (and cringing slightly as I realized I was slipping again) I sighed as I   
thought about the conversation with Nabiki earlier. We were no closer to an answer, but   
at least we now knew what the rest of the world believed.   
  
A couple hours later, after the Morning rush had died down, Makoto and I managed to   
have a quick conversation.   
  
"Everything seems so natural. I… I don't know what to think anymore…" Makoto said,   
looking somewhat worried. I nodded, feeling similarly.  
  
"If there's no sign of Mara soon, then we're going to have to assume…" I didn't know   
how to finish that. If Makoto were Sailor Jupiter, assuming the best would be like telling   
her to abandon her post as a Sailor Senshi. If she were truly my wife, saying the worst   
wouldn't be all that kind. Makoto nodded at my unspoken statement, and then looked at   
me, all sadness abruptly wiped from her face.  
  
"If it were true… if either were, though, I'm not so sure I mind this relationship as much   
as I did a couple hours ago."  
  
"Do what?" I asked, not fully understanding.  
  
"Look, you know me pretty well in either life… I was happy as a Sailor Senshi… I had   
friends.. but I didn't have a guy like Usagi has Mamoru, and, well, you obviously know   
how my married memories go, so far as in regards to you." She smiled as she said this, a   
somewhat mischievous glint in her eye, and I could feel my face reddening. Dammitt,   
this shouldn't be happening like this. I should be teasing her!  
  
"So.. either way…" I started.  
  
"Either way, I'm pretty happy-off, I suppose." She finished, grinning and giving me a   
quick kiss. Watching her walk away, I sighed, my lips still tingling slightly. Shaking   
myself out of my bliss, I frowned at the wall, wondering what I was going to do now. If   
we were truly married, great, everything would be fine. But if we weren't… I growled at   
the thought of the universe playing games with my emotions.  
  
Slipping my hands in my pockets, I made my way back into the kitchen, idly thinking   
that, as a consolation prize, I'd gotten my care back to atone for the lost of a wife-that-  
never-was. After cuts were made, and all our side work was finished, we exited the   
restaurant to find a light snow falling, and walked through the thin powder to my car. A   
couple minutes later, we arrived back at our apartment, holding hands as we made our   
way up to the door.  
  
Entering, we found Nabiki sitting at the desk, reading something on the computer   
intently.   
  
Nabiki stared intently at something on the desk, not bothering to look at us as we entered.   
Collapsing on the bed, I rolled over to take my boots off as Makoto sat down beside me,   
doing the same. Finishing up, I pulled out my wallet and actually counted my tips. At   
work, when I had to claim them, I always guessed high, knowing that my paychecks   
would be smaller, but my tax return in April would be really nice.   
  
"Makoto?" I asked, putting my wallet away.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"You're happy either way?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Earlier, at work. You said you'd be happy, no matter what memories prove to be true."  
  
"Oh. Yeah," she smiled, "I.. well.. It's safe to say that I was starting to like you before   
everything changed… At least, in my anime memories, I remember. And, of course, if   
I'm real, well.. we already know how much we both care about each other. So, I'm not   
really so worried about finding out which one is true. Because half of me loves you, and   
the other half was starting to."  
  
I blinked, and then sighed, staring at the ground.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, scooting closer to me.  
  
"Everything is wrong. Nothing is wrong. I don't know. I…"  
  
"Kyle. Tell me. Please?" she pleaded, bending over to look up into my downcast eyes.  
  
"What if they are true? I… well, like you said. We were coming together slowly in one   
life, and we're already together in another. What if the Anime memories are true, and you   
find a way home?"  
  
"…" Makoto opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again, blinking and staring   
at the wall in thought.   
  
The loud sound of something snapping broke the silence, then, and Nabiki stood up,   
stretching, and glancing over at us.  
  
"Heh. Don't stare at me like that. I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back later tonight,"   
She said. Then, without another word, she walked out the door, hands buried in her coat   
pocket.  
  
Standing, I moved over to the desk, looking for the source of the snap. Noting was   
readily apparent, and I shrugged, figuring it was probably the chair, when something pink   
by my CDs caught my eye. Reaching out, I picked up the shard of broken plastic, trying   
to place it in my mind. A moment later, I realized it was from one of the pens I'd kept on   
my desk, and frowned. Why would Nabiki have broken my pen?  
  
Shrugging it off after a moments thought, I turned back to Makoto, who was still staring,   
only now it was at a little framed picture I'd noticed earlier, featuring the two of us   
laughing at some joke or another, arm-in-arm.   
  
A single tear, catching the daylight from the windows, slowly slid down her face, and I   
shoved aside the memories of her being Sailor Jupiter, moving to sit beside her, then,   
before holding her gently. She returned the embrace a moment later, and I could barely   
hear her whisper into the afternoon air: "I don't want to loose you."  
  
A little while later, we let each other go, so we could change into regular clothes.  
  
"Makoto… I'm kind of tired… I'm going to take a nap for a bit, alright?"  
  
"Alright… actually.. I'm pretty tired, too. I might join you in a bit."  
  
I yawned and nodded, climbing into the small bed. Lying there on my side, my eyes   
closed, I could hear her move around, and I realized she was watering her plants.   
Thinking about the days and months passed married to Makoto, and then the days past in   
which we'd only just begun to get along well, I thought about what she'd said. Loosing   
her would hurt me a lot, because, to part of me, she was my other half. And to another   
part of me, she was a friend in need.   
  
Loosing both at once would hurt a lot, and I felt a part of me wishing that, were the   
Anime memories proven true, she'd still elect to stay with me. Another part, however,   
knew the futility of that silent prayer, and wished instead for the proof (or lack of proof)   
that would expose the Anime memories as being false. As these and other stray thoughts   
grew less and les coherent, I hear Makoto sit down at the desk, moments before I dozed   
off.  
  
My dreamless sleep was interrupted briefly by the feeling of Makoto sliding into bed   
beside me, and I felt her slide up against me, before I dove back into my slumber. The   
next time I awoke, the light from outside had disappeared, and Nabiki stumbled in,   
looking around warily, before stopping to stare at us. I looked at her, and realized she was   
out drinking, and frowned, hoping everything was all right.  
  
"I had something important to tell you two… but it can wait till morning. I need a   
bathroom and a bed.." she said, her speech somewhat slurred. Blinking, I laid back down,   
listening as she stumbled into the bathroom, used it, and then made her way into her bed.   
The thump she made once she got there let me know she'd probably passed out, and I   
frowned, hoping she was okay. Right before I went to check on her, however, I felt   
Makoto stir beside me.  
  
"Nabiki back?" she mumbled, not opening an eye or moving other than turning her head   
away from the pillow.   
  
"Yeah.." I said, my voice sounding groggy. Makoto just 'hmmm'-ed as she wrapped her   
arms around one of mine, and pulled herself closer. Glancing over at the other side of the   
room where Nabiki lay, I heard something shift a little, and then the barely audible sound   
of Nabiki snoring into her mattress. Sighing softly, I turned and kissed Makoto on top of   
her head, before resting my head on the pillow and once again going to sleep.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
I looked around, unsure of my surroundings. Finally recognizing the curve of a nearby   
road, I realized I was back in Florida, though how I got there, I couldn't remember.   
  
"Who are you?" a voice asked again. Turning, I could see no one and realized with a start   
that I couldn't hear anything.   
  
"Who.." I started, before the world exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors. Covering my   
eyes, I waited until the light show died down, the flashes so bright I could see them   
through my hands. After a moment, I opened my eyes, the street I'd often ridden my bike   
along in my youth gone. In it's places was an endless expanse of white, above, below,   
and all around me.  
  
"Where.." The white vanished, a black replacing it so deep I felt as if it would tear me   
apart.  
  
"Who are you?" the voice asked again. It sounded both distant and near. Like an echo,   
but also like it was whispered into my ear. If I had to compare it to anything, it'd be   
SHODAN, from System Shock.  
  
"Who are you?" it asked, a bit more forcefully. When I failed to respond again, it spoke   
softly, in a thoughtful tone, "A child lost? A stray from the worlds below? It matters not."  
  
"Who..?" I finally said, unsure what sort of change my voice would cause this time.   
When the darkness failed to disperse, I continued, "-are you?"  
  
"I am. The one you fail to see, but forever seek to emulate."  
  
"God?"  
  
"A title, no more no less, though fitting in a way. I have many forms, and many   
followers. Who but I have the ability to name myself truthfully?"  
  
I blinked at that.   
  
"That's… kind of arrogant, don't you think?" I asked quietly, staring at the infinite black   
around me. Small swirls of light were visible in the distance, but I couldn't focus on   
them, and their intricate, blurry movement was starting to give me a headache.  
  
"I am Kami-Sama. God. Lord of Nightmares. All these, and more begin to describe me.   
I've infinite names, spoken among infinite numbers, upon the infinite of infinite of   
worlds."  
  
"So.. who are you, again?"   
  
"I am the Creator. And this is the void in which I create."  
  
"… Being where in the universe?"  
  
"Mere microns beyond the furthest limit of the best imagination."  
  
"Okay. So you create things. I suppose I can relate… kind of."  
  
"Creators and destroyers, lovers and haters. The power you've all been given has yielded   
the greatest of monuments, the most horrific of devices."  
  
"… Right. Though nothing to rival your power, eh?" I asked, wondering where this was   
going.  
  
"The power I wield is approached in its omnipotence, by yours and another."  
  
"… That was easy enough to understand, I suppose. So, Creator… why am I here."  
  
"You aren't."  
  
Once more, I awoke to the feeling of being poked, forcing me to peel an eyelid back to   
glare at whoever had cut short my slumber. Staring back at me were two eyes I'd seen   
before but had, in a way, hoped to never see again. As reality brought me back, I signed,   
sitting up and detaching myself from the still-slumbering Makoto.   
  
Glancing up at the clock, I realized I'd slept a little longer than a "short-nap" implied. I   
groaned softly, before turning to look at the Demoness before me.  
  
"You know,' I started, glaring, " Your being here changes quite a bit, in a couple ways I   
don't particularly like…"   
  
"Oh?" She asked, grinning. Makoto pulled me a little closer in her sleep, and groaned   
softly. Mara's grin grew, "like.. say, for instance, your 'marriage' to Makoto?"  
  
"Among other things, yes." I frowned, more, then sighed, looking down at Makoto, who   
was still sleeping softly beside me. Even though it had been just over a day, a lot had   
changed. Could I really go back to what had been?   
  
"Stop worrying about trivial things. Something re-wrote the universe.. and we're the only   
ones that know," Mara said with a frown. I stared at her, then leapt, knocking her to the   
ground. Unwilling to truly hit her, Demoness that she was, I sat beside her and glared.   
  
"Do you have any idea how happy I was? I know myself. And I remember my 'real' life   
just as well as the 'new' one. For the first time in a long time, I was truly happy. Of   
course I'm going to worry about this 'trivial' thing, you cold-hearted bitch."  
  
Mara scowled at me, her eyes glowing unnaturally in the darkened apartment.   
  
"You stupid, simpering, foolish little man. Do you really thing I give a damn about that?   
I'm trapped here, on a world with next to nothing, and I intend to leave. Right Now."  
  
"…"  
  
Makoto made a soft whimpering noise, and I turned to look at here, my eyes clouded by a   
few tears of loss. She sat there, sitting up, wide eyed, staring at Mara with a pained look   
on her face, and I sighed. She now knew, and it was tearing her up inside, as it was to me.   
  
Staring at the floor, I paused, blinking the tears out of my eyes, before speaking.   
  
"Makoto.. I'm.. I'm sorry…"  
  
She lunged at me, then, a loud sob the only sound she made before burying her face into   
my chest as she cried. I stared down at her in shock, not having expected this.   
  
"Makoto.." I said, softly.  
  
"I don't care." I heard her say quietly.  
  
"huh?"  
  
"I don't care! I was happy, damnitt. We were happy!" she cried, looking up at me, then   
glaring at Mara. "And now… now…" She slid away from me, turning to look at the wall   
as she kneeled near the bed.   
  
"Right. Anyway.. Where's your transformation stick?" Mara asked indifferently.   
  
"I.. " Makoto looked at Mara in surprise, then looked around. " I.. we.."  
  
".. we never thought to look for it. Man, how stupid of me not to think about that!" I said,   
growling in anger at myself. Mara glanced around, then smirked.   
  
"Nabiki, however, didn't have that problem."  
  
"Huh?" Makoto and I asked slowly. Mara walked over to the sleeping girl's bed, and   
grabbed her coat, pulling the henshin stick out of an inside pocket. "This probably   
explains her sudden need for a drink, wouldn't you think?" Mara asked calmly, looking it   
over. Nodding to herself, she looked at Makoto, and frowned.  
  
"What do you want to do with that?" Makoto asked, frowning again.  
  
"Simple. That creature I absorbed.. how did it get here?"  
  
"Umm… I sent an attack through the communicator and somehow the creature was   
pulled here."  
  
"And if one of your friends sent an attack through theirs here?"  
  
I stared at her, surprised again, then frowned, "If one attack works on one person, then   
what happens if someone makes a mistake, and pulls the wand with them?"  
  
Mara grinned and held up the Sailor Moon Movie.   
  
"A combined attack? I suppose that might have enough power.. but you'd all end up on   
her world," I said, pointing to Makoto.  
  
"So? From what I've seen, there's more than enough magic there for me to find my way   
back."  
  
"And Nabiki?" Makoto asked. Mara frowned. "What about her?"   
  
"Well, if you don't promise to find a way to send her home, as well, I'll make sure Sailor   
Moon uses her most powerful attack too... set you straight," Makoto said with a rather   
sadistic grin. Mara frowned at this, then shrugged. "Alright. Whatever. Shouldn't be too   
hard."  
  
"There's still a problem." Makoto said, quietly. Mara quirked a brow at her, still grinning   
a little. "My powers... if I had them, I know... but I can't feel... anything." Makoto sighed   
as she said this, though there was a little worry in her voice, as well.  
  
"It's been blocked off. I can see that easily enough. However, what would you need your   
power for?"  
  
"I can't activate the communicator without it." Makoto said with another sigh.   
  
"Your watch? Damnitt... I feel really stupid right now." I growled.  
  
"Do you think I didn't try? Nothing happened. So I figured it was just a watch, like my   
memories suggest." Makoto said.  
  
Mara tossed the transformation stick at Makoto, "Try to transform." Makoto frowned,   
then stood, holding the wand in the air, and calling out her transformation phrase. When   
nothing happened, Makoto just sighed, and sat back down.   
  
"See? Nothing." Mara chuckled, "The wand reacted, whatever's blocking you stopped it.   
Stand over there, kid," Mara said, pointing towards the desk. Makoto did so, slowly, and   
Mara moved over to Nabiki, kicking her till she groaned in protest.  
  
"Wake up, you're going home." Mara said, turning back to Makoto. Nabiki sat up   
quickly, then grabbed her head in pain. "Ouch… can I go home lat… Mara?" Nabiki said   
in surprise after finally recognizing the person who'd awoken her.   
  
"Makoto," Mara said, "Use the communicator to contact your friends, and then try to   
transform." Makoto nodded, and did as told. Mara waved her hands around in the air, her   
eyes closed in concentration, and suddenly the communicator lit up, the green glow   
coming from the wand, instead of Makoto, this time.   
  
"Makoto!? What happened to you?" Ami screamed through the communicator. I realized   
I still knew Japanese, and smiled, knowing that would come in useful later on.   
  
"Huh?" Makoto asked, looking into the small screen.   
  
"You… everyone here says you don't exist. Aside from the Senshi even Luna and   
Artemis don't remember you."  
  
"That's…" Makoto said, frowning.  
  
"To be expected." Mara finished for her.   
  
"Mako-chan!" a new voice cried out, and a rather disheveled looking Usagi replaced Ami   
onscreen. "We were so worried! Nobody knew where you were and everyone thought   
you'd never existed and we searched but even your apartment had disappeared and there   
was this guy living there and he had a funny looking face…"  
  
"We can bring you home, Makoto." Ami said. Makoto perked up at this, then nodded.   
"We figured out a way as well." Ami looked a little surprised, then nodded. "Right… It   
does make sense, I suppose. It'll take a little bit to get everyone together. I've already   
used the Mercury Computer to help me set up our Communicators in case you managed   
to get back to us."  
  
Makoto nodded, then sat down in the desk chair. She looked around at the apartment   
we'd not shared for all those months, and I stared, unsure of what to do. Finally, she   
reached out, and grabbed a picture of us holding each other and smiling happily,   
smashing it into the corner of the desk. Reaching into the frame, she pulled the photo out,   
and stared at it, before shoving it into her pocket. Then she turned, and walked over to the   
bed, sitting down and wrapping her arms around me.  
  
Unsure what to do, but urged by memories I now knew were false, I wrapped my arms   
around her, and comforted her as she silently cried. What felt like a few seconds later, I   
heard Ami from the communicator, "Were ready."  
  
Makoto, Nabiki and Mara stood together by the kitchen, hopefully far enough away from   
anything important that they wouldn't be pulled through as well. The communicator, now   
perched on the corner of the desk, was attached to Makoto by a string, so it wouldn't be   
left here on accident. From it's small speakers, I heard the other Senshi shout out their   
transformation phrases, each one tearing into me as the flash from the small screen   
announced the end to their transformation.   
  
Finally, They powered, up, and fired, and the portal into which the communicator was   
sending widened into a tunnel a couple inches wide. I couldn't see into it, but a light from   
inside seemed to be growing brighter by the second, and I assumed it was the attack,   
broken down into sheer energy, making its way here. There was an odd drop in air   
pressure, and a steady roar began to vibrate the apartment softly.   
  
Makoto, the light now illuminating her face almost painfully, turned to me, and I realized   
I couldn't hear her as she tried to say something to me. Still, I'd seen (or, really, 'not   
seen') her say it a hundred times, and sadly mouthed it back to her. Then my apartment   
exploded in light and I was thrown back onto my bed, my head hitting the armrest it had   
as a futon, and I blacked out.  
  
Waking up, I felt like I was pushing through layers of fog, finally cracking my eye open   
to look at my apartment. It still looked like Makoto lived here, and I decided that it would   
look like this for a week, until the universe reset itself. Sighing as I stared at the pictures,   
and plants, I felt my head spin again, and closed my eyes, hoping that with a little more   
sleep, the pain from hitting my head would go away. The last thought before I slipped   
back asleep was one I found both painful and assuring. Makoto silently telling me she   
loved me, one last time. 


End file.
